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| ORGANIC LANDSCAPE ALLIANCE SUPPORTS A BAN ON LAWN AND GARDEN PESTICIDES | | | FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AUGUST 31, 2007Ottawa - The Organic Landscape Alliance (OLA) supports a provincial law that would ban the use of lawn and garden pesticides.
“A provincial pesticide law would protect Ontario residents from the health and environmental effects of lawn and garden chemicals,” said Mark MacKenzie, owner of Appleseed Organic Lawn Care and chair of the OLA. “A provincial pesticide law would also protect consumers from unscrupulous lawn care companies that mislead consumers by claiming to provide “organic” lawn care programs when they actually rely on unnecessary—and hazardous chemicals.”
The OLA is concerned that lawn and garden pesticides pose a serious health risk to both children and to pets. Lawn and garden pesticides can contaminate air, soil, groundwater, and surface water supplies.
The misuse of chemical pesticides and fertilizers results in an unhealthy lawn that is highly susceptible to pests and diseases. Organic lawn care creates healthy, fertile soils. Organic lawn care also relies on the selection of appropriate plant species, easing the demand on water resources.
“Ontario residents who want an organic lawn care program should be wary of lawn care companies looking to take advantage of people who care about their health and the environment,” said MacKenzie. “Individuals should do their homework before they sign a contract with a lawn care company to ensure that they are in fact receiving a chemical-free lawn care program.” Until the Ontario government introduces a pesticide law, the OLA urges Ontario consumers to be aware of the following deceptive marketing techniques used by some lawn care companies:“We only spot treat with pesticides if absolutely necessary.”
Ask the lawn care company if they use imidacloprid, commonly known as Merit®, a chemical used to control grubs. Lawn care companies spray an entire property with Merit®, even though grubs are not present. Nematodes are an effective organic solution to a grub infestation. Merit® is suspected of being toxic to worms, birds, and honeybees. “We use an organic-(based) fertilizer.”
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) regulates the sale of fertilizers. The CFIA permits fertilizers to be marketed as “organic-based” if contains just 15% of organic source material. Many lawn care companies use fertilizers that contain exactly this minimum content of organic source material. However, only fertilizer programs that contain 100% organic source material can actually be called “organic”. “Pesticides are safe. Health Canada says so.”
Health Canada’s Pesticide Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) approves all pesticides sold in Canada. Pesticides undergo a risk assessment process under various conditions and they must be applied according to label instructions. Despite this warning, numerous scientific studies show that chemical lawn care products continue to pose serious risks to the environment and to human health. Children are especially vulnerable to the effects of pesticides. The PMRA’s own directive (DIR99-02) states the following: Under the PCPA and Regulations, “No person shall package, label or advertise any control product in a manner that is false, misleading or deceptive or is likely to create an erroneous impression regarding its character, value, quantity, composition, merit or safety.”It is an offence to advertise a product in a manner that is inconsistent with the label. For example, the uses indicated on the promotional material must be consistent with those on the registered label.• Advertising must not be in a manner that is false, misleading or deceptive or is likely to create erroneous impressions regarding the character, value, quantity, composition, merit or safety of the control product…. • Advertising must not contain words stating, implying or inferring that a control product is approved, accepted or recommended by the Government of Canada or by any of its departments or agencies.”When hiring a lawn care company, consumers should also heed the words of Canada’s Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, who found that the “federal government is not managing pesticides effectively…The PMRA can give only limited assurance that pesticides approved meets today’s standards…All pesticides re-evaluated to date were found to pose significant health or environmental risks, at least for some uses” (Managing the Safety and Accessibility of Pesticides, 2005, www.oag.bvg.gc.ca).Hiring truly organic landscapers and lawn care service suppliers will provide good results while protecting human and environmental health. OLA is a non-profit trade association committed to the promotion and development of organic horticulture. Organic lawn care works towards a more sustainable way of living. For answers to questions about organic lawn care, please go to www.organiclandscape.org.For more information contact:
Mark MacKenzie
Chair, OLA
Tel: 613-852-2371
mark@appleseedlawn.com Frank Reddick
OLA Board Member
Tel: 705-812-1363 | | |
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