Press Conference Fleshes Out Beyond Pesticides New Campaign

Environmental advocacy group Beyond Pesticides held a press-only conference call on Wednesday to outline the group’s new campaign to bring heightened awareness and availability of organic lawn care products to consumers. In association with 19 other environmental and consumer groups, Beyond Pesticides helped form the National Coalition for Pesticide-Free Lawns. The new group initiated its cause by addressing big-box retailers regarding their lawn and garden product lines.

On Wednesday, Beyond Pesticides and its affiliated organizations asked The Home Depot and Lowe’s Home Improvement, two of the largest home and garden retailers, to carry a full range of organic, non-toxic lawn care products and to reconsider the sale of pesticide-based “weed-and-feed” products. 

“Science and society have come a long way,” said Shawnee Hoover, director of special projects for Beyond Pesticides during yesterday’s conference call. “The debate is no longer about using pesticides safely – it’s about not having to use pesticides at all. More and more, the public is finding the use of pesticides increasingly unjustifiable, especially when it’s done voluntarily for purely aesthetic purposes.”

SCIENTIFIC FINDINGS. To support its campaign, Beyond Pesticides invited a number of professionals who have studied the lawn care industry to share their findings and experience related to pesticides. Among them were:

• Dr. Warren Porter, professor of environmental toxicology, Univeristy of Wisconsin – Madison
• Dr. Routt Reigart, pediatrician, Medical University of South Carolina
• Dr. Steven Zien, landscape contractor, owner, Living Resources Co.
• Dr. Steve Sheffield, professor of wildlife toxicology, Virginia Tech
• Jay Feldman, executive director, Beyond Pesticides

The panel shared concerns related to the health and welfare of children, pets and the environment in relation to pesticide use. For example, Porter noted that in tests of off-the-shelf pesticide products, “miniscule amounts” of some pesticides were found to induce abortions in mice, adding that exposure to pesticides affected the learning ability, aggression levels and immune systems of mice and rats in laboratory conditions.

Reigart noted additional concerns for humans, particularly children. “I’m concerned about children because they are more exposed to pesticides because of their behavior, smaller size and proximity to the ground where pesticides are applied,” he said. “Children breathe, ingest and absorb more pesticide for their size than adults. However, the medical community is not well trained in recognizing or diagnosing poisonings and other symptoms of exposure.”

Among pets, Sheffield noted that dogs are particularly susceptible to pesticides, with certain breeds becoming four to seven times more likely to develop liver cancer as a result of pesticide exposure. Animals in urban water environments, including fish, birds and bats, also are negatively affected by pesticide runoff and application exposure.

In a press release, Beyond Pesticides noted that out of 213 million pounds of non-agricultural pesticide use in the U.S., more than 90 million pounds are used on private lawns and gardens per year. “Some 10 percent comes from ‘weed-and-feed’ products alone, which result in runoff and contaminated drinking water sources,” the release states. “Surveys show 40 million homeowners are buying or looking to buy non-toxic, natural alternatives. Other surveys show that with a little education on the hazards of lawn chemicals even more homeowners would consider buying natural alternatives, presuming they are conveniently available.”

PRESENTING THE RISKS. The data and research findings are the crux of the coalition’s campaign. However, Beyond Pesticides also is challenging pesticide manufacturers’ on the safety of their products, which carries both a practical and emotional connection among homeowners.

“Today the key word is ‘unnecessary risk’ and ‘hazard,’” said Beyond Pesticides Executive Director Jay Feldman during the conference call. “The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registration process is limited and testing is incomplete and deficient in a number of areas. What we advise for consumers is that the next time they are contacted by a chemical lawn care company or when they visit a retailer, they should telk them they are going organic.”

In terms of the EPA’s testing procedures, Feldman argued that hazardous ingredients that are considered trade secrets among chemical companies are not disclosed on pesticide labels. “As a result, pesticide product labels do not adequately protect the user and the EPA’s advice to follow the label instructions is not adequately protective of public health,” he said.

Moreover, Feldman suggested that the ability of local governments to ban pesticides in their own municipalities has been “thwarted” by the chemical industry. As such, one of the organization’s primary goals is to rebuild such authority. “State policy is a big focus,” Feldman said. “We want to protect and preserve the right of local government to restrict pesticides. In Canada, 70 jurisdictions have adopted bylaws that essentially ban the aesthetic use of chemicals on lawns and landscapes. Beyond Pesticides hopes to nurture that democratic process in the U.S.”

FURTHERING THE CAMPAIGN. In addition to focusing on homeowners, the coalition also is looking to the industry to heighten awareness of organic products on lawns and landscapes. “I’ve been in the industry for 30 years and I’ve seen the nursery industry work hard on organic approaches,” Zien said. “The landscape industry has been reluctant to capitalize on this untapped organic market.”

Zien explained that living soil, on its own, produces healthy plants that resist weeds and insects. He suggested that synthetic pesticides destroy living soil and may actually make plants more susceptible to pesticide attack. “The landscape industry has an opportunity that is science-based, natural, organic, and safer for children, pets and the environment,” he said. “Switching to organics is the future of the landscape industry.”

Responding to a question from a member of the press, Zien suggested that the hesitancy for the industry to switch from pesticides to organic products comes from suppliers and a lack of detailed information. “Many contractors have been told by suppliers that organics don’t work and there isn’t an abundance of scientific research showing that they do work – but there is some out there,” he said. “Contractors aren’t getting the education that’s needed, so they’re afraid to try something they haven’t utilized, and the major dealers and distributors don’t want to lose their business.”

While he said the industry is slowly coming around, in response to a product efficacy question posed by Lawn & Landscape Editor Roger Stanely, Zien said it’s hard for organic product manufacturers to develop the necessary scientific safety and efficacy data because their research and development budgets are much smaller than those of chemical companies. Moreover, Feldman noted that efficacy evaluations are not part of the EPA registration process, which leaves the consumer to study a wide marketplace of products to find the best ones.

Added Feldman, “We do know from experiential data that composting and various cultural practices like mowing, watering, etc., and different techniques do manage lawns adequately and meet consumer standards. Whether the products are organic or chemical, to adequately serve the customer, we need a more rigorous review process that advocates efficacy claims across the board.”

Beyond Pesticides declined to comment on additional plans for marketing its campaign or whether they would be lobbying additional retail outlets in the near future.