IPM or The Slammer
Proposed new pesticide legislation in British Columbia would permit the use of pesticides only after all potential alternatives have been considered. The proposed law would also make integrated pest management (IPM) a legal requirement. Not surprisingly, the legislation would radically increase fines as well as change the permitting process. The Minister of Water, Land, and Air Protection stated that the legislation fits into the goal of reducing the amount of pesticides the province uses.
The current system requires pesticide permits for all applications on public land and specified types of private land. The new system would permit routine pesticide use without a permit, provided that the user has developed a pesticide use plan that incorporates IPM. The plan must also go through public consultation and the pesticide user must ensure that the environment and human health are protected. The fines would be $272,000 or $136,000 for first offense for corporations or individuals, respectively, and $544,000 or $272,000 for subsequent offenses, respectively. Individual offenses may also carry six-month imprisonment terms. (Chemical Regulation Reporter, 5/19/03).
