[jwholden]

I was at a seminar today and the topic of pesticides was discussed. I was told that in Canada there are many towns where it is illegal to use pesticides for 'cosmetic' purposes. It sounded like this new law is spreading through Canada like wildfire.

Have any of you been effected by this law?

How are you getting by without the pesticides?

Did this new law put the Canadian version of Chemlawn out of business overnight?

It sounds wierd to me, but may be for the best. Similar legislation may be in the works down here in the near future as well.

[cutntrim]

Municipalities up here have been waging war against lawn care spray companies for a few years now. Originally I think the first shot was fired in Nova Scotia. If I remember correctly, the city of Halifax has a pesticide ban in place. Most, if not all, of the towns and cities around here stopped spraying for weeds on municipal property years ago.

Landscape Ontario, which I belong to, keeps us informed routinely on how the battle is going. Toronto has banned cosmetic use of pesticides on home lawns, but if the lawn is more than 10% (I think?) infested with weeds then it's o.k. to spray. Kinda takes the bite out of the ban.

Anyway, we spray and fert most of my lawn cutting customers but this year will be the first that I'll formally provide an "organic" alternative program for those that want to go without spraying. If a total ban comes around, I'll just switch everyone to an alternative program.

Personally, I don't really have too much of a problem with spraying. We use backpack sprayers and only spot-treat individual weeds. All the professional companies I know of around here practice the same IPM-type techniques.

[GLAN]

I think our problem with the bad publicity and bad press regarding pesticide use is clearly a lack of adequate information.

One study finds trace elements in ground water.....Well, what are the levels? Are the levels to be concerned about? Most studies done that I am aware of these trace elements fall well below out Governments guideline of acceptable limits..........So why the panic?

The other thing is........How long have those trace elements been there? Every time there is something in the news it is as if.......It is a break through finding. The only break through I am aware of is the finding of Merit in some of the shallow ground water sites. And where I am..........Merit as of 1/1/05 has become a restricted pesticide............No longer in the hands of irresponsible home owners.


Trace elements.........run off..........No matter what we use. Be it man made or organic. Leaching and run off is a fact of reality. What should be the concern of politicians and tree huggers is the proper use of lawn and garden chemicals for both man made and organic.

And consider the environmental impact.........Rain.........It rains trace elements of toxins are being washed down into the soil.......leaching it's way down or running off. The Air we breath is not completely free of toxins.


We can now relate the green industry and it's use of pesticides to that of the medical field..........A person has an ailment......doctor prescribes a medication. Yes there are over the counter remedies..........but not for the most sever of ailments or toxic of remedies. But yet abuse an over the counter product. It to is toxic...............But do people abuse over the counter medications?...........On a majority I think not............Why is that?

But when it comes to a turf or shrub problem. The consumer may read the label and read that 1oz of product to a gallon of spray is all that is needed.......but that a repeat spray is needed 10 days later.........LOL.........Consumers don't care about 10 days later......So they rationalize that If I just knock them all out with 1 spray I won't have to remember to spray again later.........So now they make the mix with 2 or 3oz of the product to the gallon.

Or how many times have you seen a home owner kill the weeds on their lawn with roundup?



It's not a matter of restricting pesticide use for appearance purposes. But rather change the mindset of how pesticides should be handled and used and by who.........

[cutntrim]

Merit has been restricted up here since it was introduced. Fear mongering can be out of control on issues such as pesticide use, when the general public and elected officials are largely ignorant about the topic. Education on responsible use of appropriate chemicals by licensed professionals can only go so far to remedy the "problem".

Truth is, many would argue that restrictive legislation on pesticide use is not a "problem" at all, but rather a long-overdue part of a solution to correct the damages done to the environment over the past hundred-or-so years.

Like most contentious issues, in my opinion there is a middle ground where a solution agreeable to "us" and "them" can be found. Certainly I don't think a total ban on all pesticide use for turf is required. Whatever happens, I'm sure we'll all adjust accordingly.

Genetically engineered growth retardent turfgrass could be an even bigger blow to the lawn maintenance industry if they ever get the science right, and make it economical for use large-scale.