Attached is a copy of a presentation I gave to Lanark Highlands Township Council on May 17, 2016, outlining concerns that exist regarding use of Clearview herbicide spray for the control of Wild Parsnip along county roadsides. I expressed these concerns as a physician working with the present epidemic of autism in our communities. In the presentation, I reference more recent scientific studies that are showing a definite link between the increasing levels of environmental contaminants and the rates of autism (and other childhood neurological issues such as ADD, and other adult medical conditions such as diabetes). I feel strongly that any decision as to whether to use a herbicide spray (and if so to what extent) should be made with this newer information in mind. I do not think it wise to rely merely upon the traditional toxicological assessments that have been used in the past to present Clearview as a “safe” herbicide.
Best regards,
John F Coombs, M.D.
Fallbrook, Ontario, K0G 1A0
www.drcoombs.ca