Backgrounder

April 22 , 2008

Proposed Legislation to Ban the Use of Pesticides for Cosmetic Purposes

The Minister of the Environment introduced the Cosmetic Pesticides Ban Act in the Legislature of Ontario on April 22, 2008. The bill contains provisions that would ban the use and sale of certain prescribed pesticides in Ontario.  The bill also contains proposed regulation making authority for the Lieutenant Governor in Council to make regulations prescribing pesticides to which the use and sale bans contained in the Bill would apply.  Accordingly, if the bill is enacted, a regulation may be made prescribing such pesticides.

Who	Proposed ban	Alternatives	Proposed exemptions	Why	Proposed Approach
Agriculture			Uses related to agriculture	Farmers already have strict rules for the use and storage of pesticides	Uses related to agriculture to be defined by  regulation
	Front and back yards of farm homes including lawns, ornamental plantings, vegetable gardens, patios, driveways, trees	Fertilize and water properly to keep lawns healthy and pull weeds by hand or use special tools designed for the job.Maintain healthy plants and monitor for early signs of pest problems.For tips on caring naturally for lawns and gardens, visit  www.ontario.ca/ environment  and click on “pesticides”	Uses related to health or safety	Necessary use of pesticides for health or safety purposes - Manage West Nile Virus - Stinging insects	Uses related to health or safety to be defined by regulationUse of lower-risk products to be considered and defined by regulation Use exemption for trees or tree injection only to be considered and defined by regulation
Commercial businesses	Commercial, institutional and industrial properties including parks, school yards, cemeteries, rights-of-way	See above	See above	See above	See above
Cottage owners	Cottage properties including lawns, ornamental plantings, vegetable gardens, patios, driveways, trees	See above	See above	See above	See above
Federal government				Uses on federal properties such as army bases, railroad and utilities are for the most part not subject to provincial legislation.	Complying with proposed provincial legislation would be encouraged.
First Nations				First Nations land is not subject to provincial legislation.	Complying with proposed provincial legislation would be encouraged.
Forestry			Uses related to forestry	There are strict rules around the use of pesticides in forestry	Uses related to forestry to be defined by regulation
General public	Residential properties including lawns, ornamental plantings, vegetable gardens, patios, driveways, trees	Fertilize and water properly to keep lawns healthy and pull weeds by hand or use special tools designed for the job.Maintain healthy plants and monitor for early signs of pest problems.For tips on caring naturally for lawns and gardens, visit  www.ontario.ca/ environment  and click on “pesticides”	Uses related to health or safety	Necessary use of pesticides for health or safety purposes - Manage West Nile Virus - Control stinging insects	Uses related to health or safety to be defined by regulation Use of lower-risk products to be considered and defined by regulation Use exemption for trees or tree injection only to be considered and defined by regulation
Golf Courses			Uses related to golf courses	Increased need for pesticides to maintain specialized turf required for playing and putting surfaces	Uses related to golf courses and attendant  conditions to be defined by regulation
	Land around the clubhouse including lawns, ornamental plantings, gardens, trees, driveways	See above	Uses related to health or safety	Necessary use of pesticides for health or safety purposes - Manage West Nile Virus - Control stinging insects	Uses related to health or safety to be defined by regulationUse of lower-risk products to be considered and defined by regulationUse exemption for trees or tree injection only to be considered and defined by regulation
Licensed exterminators	All residential, industrial,  commercial and institutional properties including parks, school yards, cemeteries, rights-of-way	See above	See above	See above	See above
Municipalities	Municipal land including parks, school yards, rights-of-way, conservation authorities	See above	See above	See above	See above
Provincial government	Provincial land including parks, gardens	See above	See above	See above	See above

Note: Prohibitions are proposed for uses on land; not inside buildings, homes or other structures.
                      

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Contacts:	Contact information for the general public:
John Steele, Communications Branch, 416-314-6666	416-325-4000 or 1-800-565-4923/ www.ontario.ca/environment

 

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