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Pesticide Facts from the EPA

These chemicals are not necessary and can be very harmful. Keep reading.

OPTS Issue Update April 30, 1991:Lawncare Pesticides

QUESTION:

The use of pesticides on residential lawns is becoming more prevalent. What is EPA doing to ensure that lawn care pesticides can be used without harming homeowners, their families and pets, wildlife and the environment?

ANSWER:

It is true that the use of pesticides on lawns is both widespread and increasing. Many people desire neatly groomed, healthy looking lawns. Increasingly, homeowners are applying pesticides themselves or are hiring lawn care services that use pesticides to achieve this result. A very substantial market has developed for pesticides to control weeds, insects and diseases on lawns.

According to recent estimates, homeowners and lawn care companies together apply as much as 70 million pounds of pesticide active ingredients to lawns each year. To put this number in perspective, about 12 times that amount, or roughly 815 million pounds of pesticide active ingredients, are used annually in U.S. agriculture. Both commercial and homeowner markets for lawncare chemicals, which includes both pesticides and fertilizers, are growing at approximately 5% to 8% per year in dollar value.

About 7.5 million households hire commercial lawn care services, and the lawn care industry has annual sales in excess of $1.5 billion. Given this pattern of increasing use, a large segment of the U.S. population may receive at lest some exposure to lawn care chemicals. EPA recognizes that the use of pesticides on lawns is an issue that warrants our careful consideration. Although food safety is our top priority pesticide issue, EPA also will be paying close attention to lawn care and other home pesticide uses as we go thorough the reregistration process mandated by the 1988 FIFRA amendments.

The Agency is committed to exploring opportunities for pollution prevention and consumer education in this area. We are are encouraging consumers and the lawn care industry to follow integrated pest management (IPM) practices that reduce reliance on pesticides. EPA has begun developing fact sheets and other materials that outline ways to manage lawns and turf with a minimal use of pesticides. EPA has identified four relevant areas of concern and is taking action to address each area as follows:

DATA REQUIREMENTS

Data on toxicity, exposure, and environmental fate and ecological effects are needed to assess the safety of lawn care pesticides. Up-to-date studies are being submitted to the Agency and evaluated through the reregistration process. In cases where significant evidence arises to challenge the safety of any lawn care pesticides, EPA can pursue regulatory action through its Special Review process. There are some unknown factors in assessing exposure to lawn care pesticides. However, EPA is doing some preliminary work that ultimately should enable us to better estimate outdoor residential exposure to pesticides.

ADVERTISING CLAIMS

Inappropriate claims about the safety of lawn care chemicals are sometimes made to consumers. EPA strongly opposes such practices since false or misleading claims may lead to overuse or careless use of pesticides. EPA is working with the Federal Trade Commission to take action against inappropriate safety claims. We also recognize that education of consumers is vital, and will target some of our outreach efforts accordingly.

POSTING/CONSUMER NOTIFICATION

Several states, counties and municipalities have set requirements for posting treated lawns and for notifying nearby residents about pesticides used. We have not ruled out an EPA regulatory role in this area, but see numerous complexities and practical problems related especially to federal involvement in posting. EPA is meeting with the lawn care industry's association and others to explore possible approaches.

OUTREACH

Emphasizing pollution prevention, EPA and USDA are providing the state extension services a training manual for professionals and homeowners on ornamental turf pest control. EPA also is developing fact sheets, articles and other information materials to increase the general public's awareness of lawn care issues. The Agency is working with the lawn care industry as they develop a series of television spots about environment-friendly lawns. In summary, lawn care is a large and growing category of pesticide use, with significant potential for exposure of the general public. EPA is addressing the major lawn care issues with an emphasis on pursuing pollution prevention opportunities.

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