Subject: Less herbicides in home gardens
Date: Wed, 11 Apr 2001 10:17:54 -0400
From: Stephen Tvedten <steve@getipm.com>
Organization: Get Set Inc. (www.getipm.com)
To: Paul Helliker <phelliker@cdpr.ca.gov>
Director, State of
California, Department of Pesticide Regulation
cc: Carol Browner browner.carol@epa.gov
Dear Mr. Helliker, I thought
you might like to read an article located at: http://www.swedenvironment.environ.se/no0004/0004.html
entitled: Less herbicides in home gardens.
There is a need to limit the use of chemical herbicides in
home gardens. The National Chemicals Inspectorate (KemI) has proposed a new
class (related to the availability for users), which means that only
professional users with appropriate training will be allowed to use such
products. This is expected to lead to reduced use as well as make it easier to
certify safe uses in home gardens. The aim is to increase the protection of
lakes, watercourses and wells.
In total, around 25 products are covered, including
glyphosate (e.g. Roundup) to combat weeds in paving, etc. and products against
moss in lawns containing iron (II) sulphateheptahydrate.
From the late 1980's until1999, the use of glyphosate
increased from a few hundred kilos to 10 tonnes per year. The Inspectorate is
critical of many companies who provide insufficient information to private home
garden users about the risk of water pollution, for example of wells for
drinking water.
"Today, alternatives are available. For example, weeds
can often be controlled on paved paths by using a flamer or hot water
steam", says Peter Bergkvist, KemI.
Fungicides and insecticides are not covered by the proposed
since equivalent alternatives have yet to be developed.
The proposal for new approval provisions is now being
circulated for consideration. KemI intends to make a decision by no later than
2002, when the current approvals expire. According to the Inspectorate, the
requirement for training and "professional handling" does not need
prior notification to the European Commission.
Most European countries do not make a distinction between
pesticides that can only be handled by professionals and those that can be used
by the public. Denmark is working
on a long-term proposal to ban the use of all pesticides for plant protection
purposes on non-agricultural areas.
Information: Peter Bergkvist, KemI, Tel: +46-8-7831209,
E-mail: peterb@kemi.se The whole proposal is available on English pages at
http://www.kemi.se
Well Mr. Helliker, Yesterday
I was speaking to several school districts in Wisconsin.
After I spoke about the dangers of using your "registered"
POISONS and how to use safe and far more effective alternatives, a Custodian
came up and confided to me. The
Custodian told me he had relatives in North Dakota and when he arrived at their
farm, he noticed they had a water meter. When
he asked his relatives why they had a water meter, he was told that the water
they drank came from Canada, 400 miles north, so they would not have to drink
the "registered" pesticides that were contaminating their own
"potable" water. He also
mentioned to me that during his long visit, he only saw one bird and one
jackrabbit. Do we have to wait until all of the aquifers are so
contaminated the only water we can safely use is from Canada, before you will
"legally" allow the use of safe and far more effective (unregistered)
alternatives to control pest problems?
Respectfully,
Stephen L. Tvedten
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