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Pesticide ban: tell us what you think |
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Written by Amanda Ryder
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 For years, municipalities across Canada have been wrestling with the issue of pesticide bans. In 2006, Quebec was the first province to step forward and prohibit the cosmetic use of pesticides on residential lawns, gardens and parks and the sale of 20 active pesticide ingredients found in lawn-care products.
Most recently, on Earth Day, Ontario premier Dalton McGuinty announced that the province is working to ban the sale of 80 chemicals found in 300 pesticide products for cosmetic use on lawns and gardens. The ban will likely go into effect in 2009.
Several big box retailers have since followed suit and announced that they will voluntarily pull pesticides and herbicides from their shelves by the end of the year.
So, what do you think about the pesticide ban? Have your customers been requesting more environmentally-friendly alternatives? How will the ban affect your centre? And for centres located outside of Ontario and Quebec, do you plan to make any changes to your selection of pesticides?
Comment on this blog and tell us your thoughts.
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Written by Karen Sloan ~ Wall Flower Stud on 2009-03-23 21:07:43
It's about time. |
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Written by Jean Sergent on 2008-12-22 14:51:46
I am a homeowner with pesticide-free back and front laws. I seldom have any weeds and if there is one dandelion or two it usually takes me a few seconds to pull them out. I have a composter in my back yard and I apply compost to my turf once or twice a year. I topdress and overseed my lawns twice a year, leaving the clippings behind as they add nitrogen to the turf. I am also occasionally adding some Dutch clover which pulls out nitrogen from their air and adds moisture, so my turf needs to be watered only occasionally. I mow with an environmentally beneficial reel mower about once a week during spring and summer. Finally, in the fall I aerate my turf, which is an attractive shade of green. I am convinced that there is no need to apply herbicides to obtain a weed-free lawn. In fact, sprayed lawns tend to have soil devoid of beneficial organisms and, as I noticed, pesticides represent here but a temporary solution as weeds do come back about a month following each spraying. This is not the case with pesticide-free lawns such as mine, where the tight and healthy grass keeps weeds out on a permanent basis and earthworms benefit the soil. My healthy turf also proved to be a deterrent to grubs. I had a few of them, did nothing about this, and in a few days there were gone for good. |
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Written by K. Jean Cottam on 2008-12-17 09:36:58
I live in a townhome condominium with extensive grounds, where owners were allowed to opt out from herbicide spraying of their common element front lawns about fifteen years ago. The spraying of other common grounds initially took place twice per season and was eventually limited to one spraying per year. For 2 1/2 weeks approximately the residents (including little children) were exposed to a terrible smell and our grounds were transformed into a toxic battlefield, as it were. Nevertheless, we were always drowning in weeds on our common grounds and some of our dandelions were huge! In 2006, on the basis of scientific data I compiled, this owner managed to persuade a majority of owners to put a stop to this outrage. Our grounds have not been sprayed in 2007 and 2008. Currently, without taking any special measures, the quantity of weeds in this condominium, with my assistance, is down, despite the reluctance, so far, on the part of our Board of Directors to fully switch to organic methods of lawn care. All that is currently being done by Management to the grass is mowing. I personally volunteer to do periodical hand weeding and overseeding. My own common element front lawn is extensive, yet it is maintained in an excellent condition with very little effort, and is serving as a a model to the community. It is absolutely weedless, a beautiful shade of green. I cut the grass with a reel mower myself. In the spring I apply compost, made in my backyard, and overseed. I don't remove the grass clippings which supply nitrogen to the turf. When overseeding I add some Dutch clover, another source of nitrogen, pulled from the air. In the fall I aerate the turf. A few years ago, there were some grubs. I did absolutely nothing about this and soon the grubs were gone, taken care of by the healthy turf itself. More recently, I had a vol eating a corner of my lawn; I used cayenne pepper to keep it at bay and it appears to be gone for good. |
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Written by Kevin Good on 2008-11-20 17:15:19
As some one who has made a living selling pesticides to retail customers for over 20 years, it will still be, getting a solution into the hands of my customers at a
price I can make a living at. As it has always been, organic or otherwise. Staff education and customer outreach I feel will be very important next year. Environment Minister John Gerretsen has stated the governments focus will be on education and outreach. With Buffalo and the border being a stones throw away ( A little Killex
in the bag with the milk and cheese) I hope this is not just lip service and they put funding into the awareness and education of alternative solutions.
Kevin Good
Green Line Success | Written by Guest on 2008-05-05 00:16:26
As a former certified landscape applicator(reformed to organics), I don't mind spot treatment for certain uses by licensed applicators but use by uncertified persons should be banned in all provinces as they usually have no clue nor care of the environmental effects.This should include broadcast weed'n feed for lawns as well as all herbicides and pesticides including Safers products. |
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Written by Bryce Hunsaker on 2008-05-04 00:43:15
I'll all for green, but when the insects move in how do they propose to control the pest problem. Case in Point. Beattle infestation of the Mountain Pine Beattle in British Columbia wiping out the Lodge Pole Pine tree and is still working its way east into Alberta now. Simular problem can and will occur in the nusery and food production areas. |
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Written by Shirley on 2008-05-03 21:39:00
I had already made the decision in my store to not continue to sell any pesticides as of January 2008. Our customer comments have been positive so far and are willing to try alternatives.
Shirley
Cannor Nursery, Parksville, B.C. |
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Written by Don Voorhees on 2008-05-03 20:54:15
Our Government refuses to ban handguns. Lives are lost daily in Ontario from their use. There is no count on the lives lost from pesticides.
Politics and paranoia |
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Written by Guest on 2008-05-03 15:00:24
Ottawa did it decades ago. The turf was so bad, weed ridden, after 5 years they commenced spraying again and in 1 year used the same amount of chemicals as they would have used over the course of 5 years. This is what happens without proper maintenance. Why bother changing the oil in your car? You can always buy a new motor.
Lets also not over look that 24D has had more studies done on it then Tylenol or ASA, and health Canada still authorizes them.
But the squeaky wheel gets the grease, and the activists are squeaking. If you think not, the Sierra group, a non profit non tax paying entity, allocated $127M a few years ago to further their interests in banning pesticides.
But hey they are just cosmetic, like paint, and not what farmers are going to continue to use. Not that what farms are using is safe, but the government isn’t going to hurt farmers even if they use a wider range of pesticides that are generally more toxic then what a homeowner can buy, let alone use.
In closing I’ll bet dollars to donuts that there will be an increase in retail pesticide sales like Killex and RoundUp prior to the unnecessary ban. Just like in Halifax where there was a 200% increase prior to their ban. In the cover of darkness homeowners will continue using them without help or directions from properly trained or certified professionals. That make me feel much safer. Safer yet are the home brewed concoctions that have NOT gone through any testing and regardless to their toxicity to human health or the environment they will be deemed safe as they are not banned. Yup I feel safe already.
See ya gotta go stock up before they are banned here.
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Written by Guest on 2008-05-03 10:59:32
Yes this ban will affect us in a VERY positive way.
We are a national distributor of safe, natural pest control products. While many pesticides are being taken off the market we are bringing new alternatives to market albeit slowly due to Federal regulations.
For instance garlic, Mosquito Barrier, is now okayed for use as an area mosquito repellent.
So new tools are coming, we just need to make an effort to locate them and educate ourselves and our consumers. This extra service will only build customer loyalty, whereas I doubt will be seen at the big box stores. |
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Written by Dianne Visser on 2008-05-03 09:58:53
I would like to see pesticides distributed more like a pharmacy where knowledgeable staff give just the right amount of the pesticide to control the problem. Where accurate records are kept and even home visits for some of the issues. We need certain chemicals but only in one dose sizing.
Most of the issues with chemicals is improper use, easy availalbilty and an attitude of anialation.
I think customers are stocking up on chemicals which is even more scarry.
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Written by Anne Talbot-Kelly on 2008-05-02 22:17:41
Thank you!!!It's about time the garden centers remove this poisen from their shelves. It has always amazed me why we in the industry have to have a pesticide license to spray anything but a person off the street can purchase and use poisen in their yard beside the toddlers swimming pool and the dog's water dish ....and with no hand ,face or body protection!!!!
I have been in this business for 20 years and am proud to say I have used a herbicide maybe 3 times. That's it. I felt horrible doing it and that was at least 15 years ago.
I have also have 3 dogs die from cancer and I have a feeling it's because of the toxins they absorb into their feet from lawns and generally anywhere they step foot. When one thinks about it the toxins easily enter our homes through the feet of a pet and our own shoes.
I feel this removal of herbicides and pesticides is the least we can do. It's dangerous it's poison and we are slowly killing our beautiful planet and it's inhabitants before our eyes.
Lastly a few years ago i went into my local supplier of gardening fertilizers etc eating blueberries. The fellow said 'I hope those are Organically grown" I assured him they were . He continued to say. " I will not eat anything that has any spray on it because I know what they used....I sell the stuff" He then pulled out the chemical cocktail schedule that is used on berry crops here in BC. It made me feel we have a huge uphill climb ahead of us .
Thank you again for going greener
Anne Talbot-Kelly
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Written by Guest on 2008-05-02 21:01:50
We've been organic for years. Our sales of related products have risen 140% on average over the last 5 years. I'm sure that the ban will give us a little extra push for about 2 years and then the traditional "nuke it at all cost" garden centres will come up to speed and our clients who are driving 150km to come to our store will find the help they need locally. I'm sure that it will cost us one of our niches in the long run but its worth it not to have my kids grow up with a chemical soup drifting in from the lawn next door!
Doug King
Make It Green Garden Centre |
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