Ontario Bans Back Yard Pesticides

The popularity of back yard vegetable gardening is currently on the rise. Consumers have concerns about the how the high cost of fuel affects the cost of food, as well as the possible harmful health effects of chemicals used in the commercial growing of fruits and vegetables. One of the ways consumers can take control of these problems is simply to grow their own back yard vegetable garden, filled with vegetables, fruit and herbs their family likes to eat.

Charlie Nardozzi is a senior horticulturist with the National Gardening Association in South Burlington, Vermont. “What happens in the edible gardening category is when the economy gets rough, people want more control in their lives and one way to do that is to grow their own food,” he says in the Earth Day online edition of the Connecticut Post.

One of the greatest challenges for back yard vegetable gardeners who are trying to grow their food organically is that neighbours might not share their concerns regarding the use of pesticides. Gardeners who avoid spraying pesticides on their own gardens often find that their gardens are affected when their neighbours don’t share their views on the use of toxic chemicals, using them to control pests and weeds. These chemical sprays have a tendency to drift into other yards. However, there is good news on the horizon for organic back yard vegetable gardeners in the Province of Ontario.

Ontario Premier Daulton McGuinty announced legislation on Earth Day morning that will enforce a ban on the sale and use of cosmetic pesticides and herbicides. The ban is set to take effect in the spring of 2009.

The ban will mean that residents in Ontario will no longer be permitted to legally apply chemical pesticides, including herbicides, insecticides and fungicides, to their lawns and gardens, an encouraging piece of information for back yard vegetable gardeners who are making the effort to grow food organically.

In addition to banning the cosmetic use of pesticides, the new legislation will also impact the manufacturers of these chemicals by enforcing a reduction in the level of toxins used in the production of pesticides.

Local farmers are often concerned when governments introduce legislation restricting pesticide use, but the Ontario government has taken these concerns into consideration, as the new legislation will not apply to golf courses, farms or managed forests.

Ontario Environment Minister John Gerretsen says, “Many municipalities have already shown leadership in banning or restricting cosmetic-use pesticides. We’re extending that protection to all families wherever they live.”