After extensive lobbying by the Toronto Environmental Alliance and other environmental groups, the Toronto Council recently passed a motion to phase out pesticide (herbicide, fungicide and insecticide) use on public green space "except in emergency situations". Although pesticide spraying has continued in public parks since the motion was passed, City Council said that pesticide use will be significantly reduced this summer, and their goal is toward zero use of pesticides.

According to Janet May at the Toronto Environmental Alliance (TEA) the Urban Pest Management Council (a creation of the Canadian Crop Protection Institute), Bayer Inc., Landscape Ontario, CanTox Inc., Sheridan Nurseries, Home Hardware and several lawn care companies, like Weed Man, vigorously opposed the motion, questioning the scientific validity of the Medical Officer of Health's report recommending the phase-out.

City Council has approved $75,000 for five new "Aquacide" units, one for each district, which use steam and heated water to kill weeds in place of Roundup, as well as an integrated plant health care program, which includes over-seeders, aerators etc. Another option, which will likely be slowly phased in, is the replacement of some grass by wild areas ("naturalization") and turf ground cover which requires little water, no mowing and no pesticides. Anyone visiting California and the southern US is familiar with their appealing low-lying lawn cover which solves the problem of dead grass during dry summers and eliminates the necessity of pesticide use. Replacing grass, however will require public education and a structure in place to deal with complaints.

It has been recommended that a water-quality monitoring program be carried out to determine the amount of pesticide wash-off during rainstorms into rivers and creeks. Phasing out of pesticides will reduce the likelihood of pesticide residue run-off into Toronto streams and Lake Ontario, and reduce exposure of City gardeners, as well as citizens and pets who use the parks.

PRIVATE PROPERTY Funding is also proposed to investigate the feasibility of regulating the use of pesticides on private property as is presently done in the City of Westmount, Quebec, and to develop a public education program to help residents reduce their pesticide use. The government pesticide phase-out and naturalization of City green spaces is intended to act as a model to present alternatives for homeowners, commercial and industrial sectors to reduce and terminate pesticide use.

In some areas of the US, like Southampton, Long Island, tax credits are given to residents who eliminate grass, because of ground water contamination due to the use of pesticides and herbicides on lawns.

If you are interested in replacing your thirsty grass lawns with something more environmentally friendly, contact Colleen Cirillo at the Toronto Environmental Alliance. The Organic Landscape Alliance, composed of organizations such as TEA and WWF and other small companies, provides landscape education, seminars and a list of landscapers in your area. Finding your landscaper through the Yellow Pages is not recommended because many companies give misleading and confusing information. Some may tell you their herbicides and pesticides are safe and "organic". But "organic" is the chemical term for hydrocarbon compounds (containing hydrogen, oxygen and carbon molecules), organic products which were originally dredged up from ancient organic deposits in the earth. Most pesticides and herbicides are composed of "organic" chlorine compounds. So don't get your "organics" confused.

Herbicides are also often mixed with other products like reformulated banned pesticides and solvents such as benzene, toluene and xylene as well as volatile "organic" compounds which mix with car exhaust and increase city smog.

INDOOR SPRAYING There are proven non-toxic alternatives to indoor pesticide spraying such as boric acid, which effectively kills insects within a few weeks. In the long term, it is superior to diazinon because insects do not develop resistance to it. Diazinon, which was originally developed as a nerve gas, kills insects by destroying their nervous systems. It is not surprising that it is also toxic to the nervous systems of human beings, especially young children who may develop acute effects such as seizures and incoordination. Long term "environmental illnesses" and chemical sensitivities often begin with exposure to pesticides. Research done at McMaster University suggests that indoor pesticide spraying concentrates around two to three feet off the floor where young children and pets breath it in. Furthermore, concentrations in the air reach their peak at about seven hours after spraying, around the time your and your family are returning to your apartments.

Contacts:

Janet May or Colleen Cirillo at the Toronto Environmental Alliance, 416-596-0660;
Colleen Cirillo at the Organic Landscape Alliance 416-596-7989;
Doug McDonald, Parks & Recreation, 392-8578