My family and I were out for a beautiful fall walk last Sunday, Oct. 22, around Lost Lake, when we noticed guys in white hazmat suits spraying fungicides on the nearby Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club. Posters indicated that a fungicide concoction of chlorothalonil, propiconazole and fludioxonil was being applied to control turfgrass disease and snow mold. Meanwhile, two black bears munched away on the course, unaware of the toxic pre-hibernation salad mix they were consuming.
A review of the scientific literature reveals significant sub-lethal effects of fungicides on fish, aquatic invertebrates, and aquatic ecosystems.
In 2018, chlorothalonil and propiconazole were banned in the EU and U.K. after the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) determined them to be presumed carcinogens, endocrine disruptors and drinking water contaminants. While fludioxonil is still permitted, human health concerns include liver, kidney and nervous system damage.
Every summer, the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) advocates for the tiny Western toad migration, builds tunnels and pathways, and closes down the trails to protect them. Meanwhile, toxic chemicals are being flushed away from nearby golf courses into Lost Lake, Fitzsimmons Creek and Green Lake, endangering aquatic and human life.
Why are these fungicides still being used in Canada and the U.S.? Has the RMOW done an environmental assessment on the use and effects of fungicides in Whistler? Surely we can do better and look at alternatives when it comes to having “greener” fairways.
