The Concerned Parents Group of New Brunswick
Organization profile published 1977
http://www.connexions.org/Groups/Subscribers/CxG1784.htm
Year Published: 1977
Resource Type: Organization
Cx Number: CX466
The primary purpose of this group is to promote the implementation of proper safeguards to human health and the environment against the risks involved in the widespread use of chemical pesticides. In addition to researching all aspects of the relationship between pesticides and health, the group is trying to make widely available information that will increase public awareness of the potential dangers.
Abstract:
Connexions has published numerous abstracts on the Concerned Parents Group of New Brunswick.
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This abstract was published in Connexions Digest in 1977:
The primary purpose of this group is to promote the implementation of proper safeguards to human health and the environment against the risks involved in the widespread use of chemical pesticides. In addition to researching all aspects of the relationship between pesticides and health, the group is trying to make widely available information that will increase public awareness of the potential dangers.
Concerned Parents Group did some research on the compound Matacil and discovered that it was the most toxic of the chemicals used in crop spraying and the least well researched. One of the precautions for this pesticide, used against spruce budworm on conifers, includes warning about the danger of drift. However, during the 1976 spray program, it was reported that the "drift of the spray cloud was frequently substantial...samples taken beyond spray block boundaries showed that, in some situations, spray deposit occurred at least one mile beyond block boundaries and was equal in magnitude to a direct overspray." This group accuses Forest Protection Limited, a spraying company, of technical irresponsibility with regard to the use of matacil.
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This abstract was published in Connexions Digest in 1980:
The Concerned Parents Group was formed in 1976 when research done in Nova Scotia showed indicates that New Brunswick's unusually high rate of Reyes syndrome might be linked to the province's massive aerial spay program. Reyes syndrome is a rare and often fatal children's disease.
Since the formation of the group the area encompassed by the spray program has been reduced from 10 million acres to four million; also a law has been introduced prohibiting spraying within a one mile area of human habitation. The Departments of Health and Environment are now involved, particularly through the Pesticides Advisory Group.
Concerned Parents has been research-oriented but finds it difficult to reach the broader public with complex scientific concerns. Media response to the efforts of the groups has surfaced the spray program as a key issue in New Brunswick. The group, however, has encountered difficulties making inroads in the French-speaking areas.
The group has found its efforts to deal with violations of pesticide regulations by proper legal channels to be very expensive, in terms of both money and effort. The group is currently petitioning the Federal government to change certain laws which protect the spray agencies because of their crown status.
The group has been urging the New Brunswick Medical Association to take a position on this issue, but with no success as yet.
The group also has a number of flyers and briefs available which provide more information on the spray issue.
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This abstract was published in Connexions Digest in 1981:
The Concerned Parents Group was formed in 1976 when research done in Nova Scotia showed that New Brunswick's unusually high rate of Reyes syndrome might be linked to the province's massive aerial spray program. Reyes syndrome is a rare and often fatal children's disease.
Since the formation of the group, the area encompassed by the spray program has been reduced from 10 million acres to 4 million; also a law has been introduced prohibiting spray within a one-mile area of human habitation. The Departments of Health and Environment are now involved, particularly through the Pesticides Advisory Group.
Concerned Parents has been research-oriented but finds it difficult to reach the broader public with complex scientific concerns. Media response to the efforts of the groups has surfaced the spray program as a key issue in New Brunswick. The group, however, has encountered difficulties making inroads in the French-speaking areas.
The group has found its efforts to deal with violations of pesticide regulation by proper legal channels to be very expensive, in terms of both money and effort. The group is currently petitioning the Federal government to change certain laws which protect the spray agencies because of their crown status.
The group has been urging the New Brunswick Medical Association to take a position on this issue, but with no success as yet. The group also has a number of flyers and briefs available which provide more information on the spray issue.
