Less herbicides in home gardens
Subject: Less herbicides in home gardens........................
Date: Sat, 20 Oct 2001 17:34:09 -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: Christine Whitman whitman.christine@epa.gov
Dear Mr. Helliker, I thought you might like to read an article 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 to10 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. (I currently have over 2300.)
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 and the article is available at: http://www.swedenvironment.environ.se/no0004/0004.html#art2 .
Well Mr. Helliker, As the world finds safe and far more effective alternatives to your "registered" POISONS, they choose them. Whe are there no acceptable unregistered alternatives in your opinion? "All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed, second it is violently opposed, and third, it is accepted as self-evident." - Arthur Schopenhauer. When will it become self-evident to you, that people no longer want to be "protected" with your "registered" POISONS that do not even "control" the pests?
Respectfully, Stephen L. Tvedten http://www.getipm.com http://www.thebestcontrol.com
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