Ontario plans to ban lawn pesticides next year

23 April 2008 16:39  [Source: ICIS news]

TORONTO (ICIS news)--Ontario's plan to ban the sale of cosmetic lawn care pesticides will, if passed into law by the provincial parliament, take effect in spring next year, a government official said on Wednesday.

 

The province's Liberal majority government under Premier Dalton McGuinty this week introduced the required legislation, replacing similar bans already in place in many Ontario cities and towns, including Toronto.

 

While described as among the toughest such laws in North America, the Ontario legislation does not include pesticide use in farming and forestry, golf courses, and for health and safety purposes such as controlling the West Nile virus.

 

Industry observers said the sale of lawn pesticides in Canada was already regulated under federal legislation which required the products were tested and registered before being allowed for sale. 

 

Also, by allowing their use on farms and golf courses, Ontario’s legislation risked introducing a double standard, they said.

 

An official at pesticide industry association CropLife Canada was not immediately available for comment.

 

Canada’s eastern province of Prince Edward Island is also considering a province-wide ban on lawn pesticides, with parliamentarians due to debate the issue this week.

 

Last week, Montreal-based consultancy MREP Communications said it had been asked by a number of lawn care firms to review the municipal bylaws that restricted or prohibited the use of registered lawn pesticides in Canada, with a view towards seeking damages.

 

The bylaws were not supported by scientific evidence, MREP said, citing findings from the completed first phase of its three-phase review.

 

Industry efforts to mount legal challenges against the bylaws in Toronto and elsewhere have failed in the past.

 

In a related development, Home Depot confirmed it would stop selling traditional pesticides and herbicides in its stores across Canada by the end of 2008.

By: Stefan Baumgarten
+1 713 525 2653

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