Weed-Free Lawns: Refuge or Risk?

by Sarah O'Brien

We keep lawns as a place to play and relax. But dousing them with toxic pesticides means that a space meant for families and pets can become a potent danger to health and the environment.

Americans maintain over 25 million acres of lawn, with an average amount of 5 to 10 pounds of pesticide active ingredient* used per acre, per year. That rate of pesticide use is more than three times as high as farm use. This means we are exposing ourselves, our children, and our environment to as much as 200 million pounds of pesticides nationwide from lawn care alone.

In Vermont, commercial applicators alone used almost 12,000 pounds of pesticide active ingredient* for turf and weed control in 1999. This figure does not include the thousands of pounds of pesticides used by Vermont homeowners on lawns and gardens.

Health Risks

This level of pesticide use poses acute dangers to humans. About 140,000 pesticide poisonings are reported to US poison control centers each year, with 90% of them occurring at home and 50% of those to children under 6. Reduced household pesticide use could prevent many of these poisonings.

But even more importantly, many of the chemical pesticides in use today are associated with long-term human health problems, including cancers, birth defects, and neurological diseases:

• The majority of lawn care chemicals in use today are possible or probable carcinogens, according to US EPA;
• Multiple studies link Parkinson's Disease to use of household herbicides and insecticides;
• A National Cancer Institute study indicated that children were 6.5 times more likely to develop acute lymphoblastic leukemia in homes where lawn and garden pesticides were used;
• 14 of the most commonly used lawncare pesticides are linked to birth defects;
• Residential and consumer use of Diazinon, a common insecticide related to military nerve gas, has been cancelled by EPA because of dangers posed to children's developing nervous systems (but this potent nerve toxin will be available in stores with no warning for two more years).

Humans and pets can be exposed to lawn pesticides by swallowing, inhalation, or absorption through the skin. Despite labels indicating treated lawns are safe for contact after 24 or 48 hours, many pesticides persist far longer and also contaminate indoor environments when tracked inside. Thus, people and pets can be exposed while playing on treated lawns or contaminated carpets, or using an exposed toy or tool--long after the reentry period listed on the label.

Environmental Damage

Even when used as directed, pesticides kill non-target organisms along with their target pests. Crashes in honeybee populations, wild plant damage, and fish and bird die-offs have all been linked to pesticide use.

Lawns and gardens treated with chemical pesticides and fertilizers are a significant source of surface water contamination when the chemicals run off into neighboring water bodies. Pesticide residues can kill off plants and animals at the bottom of the aquatic food web, as well as damaging fish.

Pesticides can also continue to contaminate the environment in unexpected ways long after their use. Spokane, WA officials found that a year's worth of municipal compost was so contaminated with a commonly used herbicide, Confront, that it killed plants where it was applied. The compost had to be used as landfill cover.

Pesticide manufacturing also generates highly toxic residues that are released to the air and water. For instance, the Scotts company was found responsible for the persistent contamination of a large area around one of their factories.

And, if unused pesticides are poured down drains, dumped in landfills, or burned in incinerators, they can continue contaminating the water and air after disposal.

Healthy Lawns Without Chemicals

VPIRG urges Vermonters to take a positive step for the environment and health by eliminating the use of toxic chemicals to maintain your home environment. School districts, golf courses, parks and municipalities around the country have been able to successfully manage their grounds without synthetic pesticides. By making this change, you can help protect your family and your community from the potentially serious consequences of pesticide exposure.

To educate your neighbors, participate in VPIRG's Pesticide Free Lawn Campaign by posting a "Pesticide Free Lawn" sign - more information at www.vpirg.org, or call 223-5221.

Dispose of all pesticide products at a CVSWMD Hazardous Waste Collection. Pesticides are accepted for FREE thanks to funding from the VT Department of Agriculture. Call the District at 229-9383 for more information.

Sarah O'Brien is the former Environmental Health Advocate for the VT Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG).

The author is a guest writer; opinions presented here are not necessarily those of the Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District.

* "Active ingredient" is the substance in a given pesticide product that kills the targeted insect or plant; can compose as little as 1% of the product formulation, and so-called "inert" ingredients can be substances listed as occupational and environmental hazards.