U.S. lawn industry fighitng pesticide bans

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January 17, 2005 - U.S. lawn-care industry fighting back against pesticide

bans

By JOAN LOWY Scripps News Service

Fearing that a Canadian movement to ban the use of pesticides on lawns will

take root in the United States, the lawn-care industry has thrown down the

gauntlet - literally.

" The gloves are off, " declares an industry ad running in trade magazines

under a picture of masculine-looking leather gardening gloves lying atop a

lush green lawn.

" Yes, legislation and regulations have been throwing the green industry some

rough punches, " the ad says. " And we're about to start fighting back. "

The ads are underwritten by Project Evergreen, a trade association formed by

pesticide makers, applicators, garden centers and mower manufacturers that

plans to launch a national public-relations campaign this spring touting the

health and lifestyle benefits of thick, green lawns.

The green industry, as the lawn-products industry calls itself, has reason

to worry. Increasing concern about the impact of pesticides and synthetic

fertilizers on human health and the environment is fueling a movement to ban

or restrict the " cosmetic " or " esthetic " use of artificial chemicals for

lawns and gardens.

In Canada, the province of Quebec and nearly 70 cities and towns - including

Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Halifax - have passed laws banning or

restricting the use of pesticides for lawn care.

Some activists are predicting that pesticides will become the next tobacco.

" Pesticides are a bit like secondhand smoke - if you can smell your neighbor

using them on their property, then you're being exposed, too, " said Michel

Gaudet, president of the Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides, in St.

Bruno, Quebec.

The picture in the United States is more complicated. Over the last several

years, the pesticide industry has successfully lobbied state legislatures to

pass what are known as " pre-emption laws. " These give states responsibility

for pesticide regulation and prevent cities and towns from enacting their

own laws. So far, 30 states have adopted pre-emption laws.

" Local communities generally do not have the expertise on issues about

pesticides to make responsible decisions, " said , president of

RISE (Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment), a pesticide-industry

lobbying group. " Decisions are made much more carefully and the train moves

much more slowly " at the state level.

At the same time, however, 20 states have adopted laws requiring signs or

some sort of public notification when pesticides are applied to lawns.

Dozens of communities have also adopted policies barring or restricting the

use of pesticides on school property, public ball fields and parks.

Beyond Pesticides, an environmental group in Washington, has responded to

Project Evergreen's " gloves are off " ad with a copycat ad that features a

pair of feminine-looking gardening gloves decorated with daisies over the

headline, " Get a Grip. "

" The chemical lawn care industry is worried that the word is getting out on

the toxic hazards of lawn pesticides, " the ad says. " It is possible to have

a green lawn without toxic pesticides. "

A team of medical researchers with the Ontario College of Family Physicians,

a Canadian professional society for family doctors, released a report last

year that analyzed 250 previously published epidemiological studies from

around the world on possible adverse effects of pesticides on human health.

The report found " consistent positive associations " between popular

pesticides used in lawn care and cancers, reproductive problems, neurotoxic

effects and other

serious illnesses.

Pets and wildlife are at risk, too. Another study, by scientists at Purdue

University in Indiana, found that ish terriers were four to seven times

more likely to develop bladder cancer if they had been exposed to lawn

chemicals.

But industry officials say pesticides must pass 120 different tests before

they can be marketed in the United States. The Environmental Protection

Agency determines how much human exposure to a particular pesticide is safe.

However, roughly half of homeowners admit they don't read or follow label

directions when applying pesticides and synthetic fertilizers to lawns,

often using significantly more than the recommended amount, lawn-care

experts said.

" The unintended failure to follow some small part of the label - a minor

misapplication - does not jeopardize human health, " said. " It takes a

massive misuse of the product to cause harm. "

The manufacture of specialty pesticides - lawn products as well as indoor

pest killers - is a $2.5 billion annual industry in the United States,

said.

A recent survey sponsored by Organic Gardening magazine in conjunction with

the National Gardening Association estimates that of the 90 million U.S.

households with yards, about 5 million are exclusively using organic

methods, 31 million are using a combination of organic and chemical methods

and 35 million are using primarily chemical methods.

" This confirms what we've suspected for a long time, which is that a

significant portion of people are interested in or moving toward organic

methods, " said Meyer, editor of Organic Gardening. " Not everybody has

adopted the full idea of having an organic lifestyle, but a lot of people

are saying, 'I know what I don't want.' " ##