Concern grows over application of N.B. pesticide ban

New regulations that will ban the use of lawn-care chemicals are being panned by critics on both sides of the issue.

Environment Minister Roland Haché announced on Thursday that the Liberal government had enacted regulatory changes that will prohibit the use and sale of 200 over-the-counter lawn-care pesticides and the pesticide 2, 4-D.

Ellen Snider, a spokeswoman for the Canadian Cancer Society in New Brunswick, said her organization was hoping the province would follow Ontario and make it a complete ban on lawn-care pesticides.

"I wish that the New Brunswick government had made the decision to align more closely with … the desires and wishes of the vast majority of constituents here in New Brunswick, and sadly that didn't happen," Snider said.

There will be some exemptions to the ban for the agriculture and forestry sectors, as well as golf courses.

The pesticide prohibition will take effect in the fall, giving stores enough time to pull the products off their shelves. Companies carrying out lawn-care services using commercial grade pesticides will have to acquire an integrated pest management accreditation by February 2010.

The new accreditation process will require businesses to curtail their "blanket treatment" on problem areas and promote spot treatment. The accreditation will be required when lawn-care companies seek operating permits.

Companies wanted consultation

John Evans, the president of Landscape New Brunswick, said he's unclear what the new regulations will mean for lawn-care companies.

"I would have liked to have seen the government consult with the industry a little more — to have more knowledge on this topic as far as writing regulations go — but for now I think it's been an important step," Evans said.

But David Coon, policy director for the Conservation Council, said he fears more people who have used pesticides on the banned list will turn to professionals to spray them instead.

"Our government blinked in the face of a strong lobby from the lawn-spraying industry to give them the ability to continue to spray pesticides on people's lawns, with the exception of 2, 4-D," Coon said.