Government downplaying nitrate risks

Friday March 14, 2008

Millvale - The Liberal government is jeopardizing human health by downplaying the risks of nitrate-contaminated drinking water, the Green Party of PEI said today.

A government media release this week claimed that groundwater is safe to drink if levels of nitrates are below 10 milligrams per liter (10 mg/L). The natural background level of nitrates in PEI groundwater is very close to 0 mg/L.

"This is absolutely wrong and conveys a false sense of security to people with nitrate-contaminated drinking water," said Green Party leader Sharon Labchuk. "Only recently have scientists begun studying the effects of nitrates at levels lower than 10 mg/L and the observations are worrisome. This guideline was set long ago only because this is the level at which blue baby syndrome can occur. Information about other health problems at lower nitrate levels was scarce at the time."

Labchuk said studies indicate a precautionary approach needs to be adopted as lower levels of nitrate consumption are linked to various health problems, including cancers and birth defects. A 2001 study of Islanders showed levels of nitrates below 5 mg/L were linked to low birth weight and levels above 5mg/L were linked to premature birth.

"The problem is, like other toxic chemicals, agricultural fertilizer can't be used in human experiments and so we have to rely on observations after people have already been exposed," said Labchuk. "Islanders are lab rats in an uncontrolled experiment and there is strong reason to suspect that drinking water contaminated with chemical fertilizer, at levels below guideline standards, can be harmful to our health."

"Access to uncontaminated drinking water is a basic human right and Islanders should not have to drink water contaminated with any level of chemical fertilzer when options to end the problem are at hand," said Labchuk. "The Green Party supports a move to a 100% organic PEI and an elimination of chemical fertilizer altogether. Organic farming greatly reduces the potential for groundwater pollution."

Contact: Sharon Labchuk 902-621-0719 or 902-940-1262 www.greenparty.pe.ca