Discussion on the effectiveness of Alternative Petisticides for Gravelled area is mentioned here. This is a rare statment to see, but so true.
Finalsan, Vinegar, Chlorine, Hydrogen Peroxide and boiling water are not Effective Alternative Pesticides
Wallace said parks, recreation and culture director Byron McCorkell has told council pesticide alternatives don’t work well on city fields and gravelled areas.
Not much support for Cavers’ pesticide bylaw
A proposed ban on all cosmetic-pesticide use in the City of Kamloops isn’t finding much support from city council.
Coun. Donovan Cavers is bringing forth a notice of motion today, proposing the city pass a bylaw to ban all cosmetic-pesticide use.
The bylaw would come into effect in two stages. First, the city would stop using pesticides on its own properties as of August. On January 1, 2013, the ban would take effect in the rest of the city.
This will be the second time Cavers has proposed a pesticide ban.
In February, he introduced a similar notice of motion, which was pulled when council indicated it wanted to wait to see if the province would enact its own ban.
However, a recent report from the province’s Special Committee on Cosmetic Pesticides stated there is no scientific evidence to support a ban, prompting Cavers to revisit the motion.
Two councillors said the recommendation from the committee is just that — and it might be better to wait on the province a bit longer.
“There are about 20 municipalities that have already enacted pesticide bans and then more like Kamloops that have restrictions on who can apply pesticides,” said Coun. Nancy Bepple.
“When it’s that universal, it really suggests the province should step up to the plate.”
Bepple does support a ban on cosmetic pesticides for health and environmental reasons, but isn’t sure Cavers’ proposed bylaw is the right move at this time.
She is also hoping for more information on how it would be implemented.
Coun. Arjun Singh said he does support a ban and has in the past, but would prefer to have it come from the province.
However, he said getting city staff to stop using the chemicals is a good next step.
“In terms of doing the City of Kamloops stuff, I think we can do it now,” he said.
“In terms of an all-over cosmetic-pesticide ban, I would wait to see what the province does.”
Councillors Marg Spina and Tina Lange are concerned Cavers’ proposed bylaw would be too restrictive.
Lange would like to see a ban on pesticides for the general public: “It’s not necessary to spray chemicals to kill dandelions — dandelions are people, too.”
Spina said she has questions about the science behind the ban and thinks it could be too limiting should the city need to deal with invasive-plant species.
“If we don’t have something in place for invasive weeds and we go to such a drastic step as saying no pesticides, what do you do then?”
“I would need to see much more full information on the what-ifs before I could support that.”
“It really doesn’t matter what other areas do. They’re not the Tournament Capital,” Coun. Pat Wallace said.
“We’ve got massive fields that people enjoy playing on.”
Wallace said parks, recreation and culture director Byron McCorkell has told council pesticide alternatives don’t work well on city fields and gravelled areas.
Coun. Nelly Dever also raised concerns about maintaining the city’s fields, adding she feels current restrictions on pesticide use “are more than sufficient.”
“I don’t see my neighbours spraying their lawns, using illegal pesticides,” she said. “I think there’s more than enough control. I don’t mind pulling out weeds in my backyard but, when it comes to our fields, no.”
Dever is, however, willing to hear what other councillors have to say on the issue and expects Cavers’ motion to be amended before it comes to council for discussion and a vote on June 12.
via Kamloops This Week – Not much support for Cavers’ pesticide bylaw.