9/10/2009 Ban Lawn Pesticides Now, Restrictions Are Not Enough Campaign for Pesticide Reduction – Quispamsis, New Brunswick Canadian Cancer Society – New Brunswick Conservation Council of New Brunswick New Brunswick Lung Association On June 18, 2009, the province of New Brunswick announced restrictions on the use of lawn care pesticides, namely 2,4-D. The province says they are targeting lawn care pesticide products that are most likely to be overused and misused by homeowners, restricting them to pesticides packaged for spot applications. Lawn care companies will continue to spray with permits granted by the Department of Environment. The ban on 2,4-D and restrictions on other lawn care pesticides will go into effect at the end of the fall of 2009. These restrictions do not go far enough to protect our health and environment. New Brunswick must follow Ontario and Quebec's lead and ban the sale and use of all lawn care pesticides for homeowners and lawn care companies. P.E.I. is moving toward banning lawn care pesticides next year.  Reviews of scientific literature have led public health officials to recommend pesticides be banned for lawn care and landscape purposes based on (1) the human health and environmental harms and (2) the ability to achieve the benefits of a healthy lawn and landscape without the use of pesticides.  According to Statistics Canada, the number of landscaping companies in Toronto increased every year following the city’s ban on cosmetic pesticides. In Halifax, the number of landscaping companies increased by more than 50 per cent after the enactment of the cosmetic pesticide bylaw. The number of employees per company also grew. The growth in the landscaping industry has been attributed to the demand for pesticide-free lawns.  The majority of New Brunswickers support a province-wide ban as indicated in the public consultation done by the province in 2008 and repeated public opinion surveys.  As shown in jurisdictions that have already enacted bans, the most effective way to reduce and eliminate our exposure to toxins applied on our lawns is to ban their sale and use. The restrictions being proposed on households by the government of New Brunswick will not stop lawn care companies from spraying such pesticides as Dicamba or Mecoprop (MCPP). Banning lawn care pesticides not only protects our environment and health, it also creates green jobs and saves healthcare costs.  SUGGESTED ACTION Share your concerns with the following elected representatives. Tell them that restrictions on certain pesticides are not enough and New Brunswickers want a ban on all lawn care pesticides today.  1. Write your MLA To find your MLA’s contact information, visit: http://app.infoaa.7700.gnb.ca/gnb/pub/ListMLA1.asp  2. Write the Premier Premier Shawn Graham P.O. Box 6000  Fredericton, NB E3B 5H1 Email: premier@gnb.ca  3. Write the new Environment Minister Rick Miles Hon. Rick Miles P.O. Box 6000 Fredericton, NB E3B 5H1 Email: rick.miles@gnb.ca  -- Action Alert Endorsed by: Campaign for Pesticide Reduction – Quispamsis, New Brunswick Canadian Cancer Society – New Brunswick Conservation Council of New Brunswick New Brunswick Lung Association For more information, contact  Patty Donovan, Campaign for Pesticide Reduction, (506) 849-8997, pattycd@nb.sympatico.ca  Ellen Snider, Canadian Cancer Society – NB, (506) 634-6271, esnider@nb.cancer.ca  David Coon, Conservation Council of New Brunswick, (506) 458-8747, dcoon@conservationcouncil.ca  Liz Smith, New Brunswick Lung Association, (506) 455-8961, liz.smith@nb.lung.ca