NLIS 2
September 9, 2005
(Environment and Conservation)
Minister announces
changes to Pesticides Control Regulations
Tom Osborne, Minister of Environment and
Conservation, today reiterated government�s commitment to
environmental and public health as he announced major changes will
be made to the province�s Pesticides Control Regulations
under the Environmental Protection Act that will enhance
pesticide management in the province and help reduce unnecessary
pesticide use.
Minister Osborne said government has carefully analyzed all comments
and feedback from a discussion paper it released last year on
strengthening the Pesticides Control Regulations and added
that after extensive review and deliberations on the issue,
government is moving forward with a number of changes that will
ensure safe and environmentally responsible use and handling of both
domestic and commercial pesticides in the province.
�We take our job of regulating pesticide use in the province very
seriously and the changes we are announcing today to the
Pesticides Control Regulations clearly demonstrate this,� said
Minister Osborne. �Not only will government now proceed to make
several changes to the regulations based on the feedback on our
discussion paper, we are also taking action beyond the scope of the
discussion paper, such as restricting pesticide use on public
spaces, to address some of the concerns that have been raised about
pesticide use.�
Changes to the Pesticides Control Regulations will include:
mandatory certification and training for vendors of domestic class
pesticides; removing fertilizer/herbicide blend products from the
domestic market; restricting the use of pesticides on public spaces,
such as government buildings, licensed daycare facilities, hospitals
and recreational/sports complexes; only one broadcast application of
herbicides, which contain 2,4-D, will be permitted per lawn per year
by lawn care service providers, improved pesticide storage
requirements; and violating the Pesticides Control Regulations
will become a ticketable offence.
Minister Osborne said the changes to the regulations will be a
phased approach with some of the changes coming into effect in 2006,
including restricting pesticide use on public spaces in the province
and restricting the use of broadcast herbicide applications
containing 2,4-D, while others will be phased in over time, such as
the new regulations for vendors of domestic pesticides which will
require full compliance by 2010.
Minister Osborne added, �One of government�s main goals is to reduce
and, ultimately, eliminate the unnecessary use of pesticides, as the
public must be reminded that there are alternatives to addressing
lawn problems besides using pesticides like proper lawn installation
and maintenance. Actions such as banning the sale of
fertilizer/herbicide blend products from domestic markets and
mandatory certification and training for vendors of domestic class
pesticides, which will also help educate consumers to make wise
decisions on pesticide use, will indeed play an important role in
helping us achieve our goal.�
The minister added that officials in his department will follow up
with stakeholders impacted by the changes to the Pesticides
Control Regulations in the near future to provide further
information and address any questions stakeholders may have before
the new regulations are finalized.
Minister Osborne said government will remain diligent in carrying
out sound and prudent pesticide management in the province that
helps to ensure the protection of our environment and the health of
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.
Media contact: Sonia Glover, Communications, (709) 729-2575,
685-6612
BACKGROUNDER
Highlights of changes to Pesticides Control Regulations
- Mandatory certification and training
for vendors of domestic class pesticides. Under the new regulations,
vendors will have to be licensed and have in their employ personnel
who are certified pesticide vendors. The exception to this is for
vendors who only sell reduced risk pesticides, or low volumes of
pesticides. These vendors will be invited to take part in voluntary
certification.
- Domestic class pesticides will have
to be stored and displayed in a manner that keeps them separated
from food and drink.
- There will be restrictions to
pesticide use on public spaces. A list of public spaces has been
developed for which there will be a restriction on the types of
pesticides allowed to be used. Only reduced risk pesticides will be
permitted without a Special Use Permit.
- Only one broadcast application of
phenoxy herbicides (eg., 2,4-D, dicamba and mecoprop) will be
permitted per lawn per year by lawn care service providers.
- Contraventions of the Pesticides
Control Regulations will be made a ticketable offence. The
revised regulations will set out a schedule of fines.
- Anyone using domestic class
pesticides for gain or reward (including apartment building
superintendents, landlords, and lawn care or tree care service
providers) must be certified and hold appropriate licences for their
activities. The exception to this would be if these individuals were
using reduced risk pesticides.
- Terms and conditions, such as
storage requirements and contingency plans, will be attached to
pesticide vendor licences for vendors of commercial and restricted
class pesticides.
- Terms and conditions, such as buffer
zones, weather conditions and on-farm pesticide storage, will be
added to agriculture and greenhouse pesticide applicator licences.
- Greenhouse growers will be permitted
to purchase and use commercial and restricted class pesticides as
long as they have a valid pesticide applicator licence (greenhouse
category).
- The regulations will be revised to
complement Section 44 of the Environmental Protection Act to
provide for the creation of a schedule of restrictions on certain
pesticides, such as fertilizer/herbicide blend products being sold
to home owners.
General Information
- The province�s Pesticides
Control Regulations have not been revised since 1996.
- There are three classifications
of pesticides: restricted, commercial and domestic. Anyone who
uses a commercial or restricted class pesticide must have a
pesticide operators licence and must hire a licensed pesticide
applicator to apply the pesticide. Domestic class pesticides are
for use by homeowners on their property and are normally
formulated with lower concentrations of active ingredients. A
pesticides licence is not needed to purchase or use domestic
class pesticides.
- Pesticides are regulated by both
the federal and provincial governments. The federal government,
through Health Canada�s Pest Management Regulatory Agency, is
responsible for registration and classification of pesticides.
The provincial government is responsible for ensuring those
pesticides are used in an environmentally acceptable manner as
outlined under the province�s Pesticide Control Regulations.
2005 09 09
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