Pesticide use defended
A concerned citizen took this picture of spraying pesticides at Denny Ross Park last month.
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Updated: November 20, 2009 10:58 AM
Pesticides were sprayed on the grass of Denny Ross Park recently, which had at least one resident upset.
Langley Township’s parks and some school grounds are still being sprayed with pesticides on ‘a need basis’ as part of the turf maintenance program, said Township’s David Leavers.
“We do that to deal with clover and broadleaf. It is highly regulated and I assure you all regulations are followed,” he said.
That includes putting up signage letting residents know the spraying is going to take place or is going on.
Under a contract, the Township does maintain some school grounds which means those fields could also be sprayed with a selective herbicide, he said.
“We don’t spray during school days, it would most likely be in the summer.”
Soccer turf fields have to be treated once a year, he said. Pesticides are only used on a ‘need basis’ for most parks.
The Township has no policy against spraying pesticides, he said.
However, the Township adopted a position supporting a ban on the sale and use of cosmetic pesticides, particularly those chemicals used in lawns and gardens earlier this year.
Other communities have taken steps to either mitigate or eliminate the use of pesticides. White Rock has a pesticides ban.
Mayor Rick Green said he wasn’t aware of the Township’s policies on pesticides but would like to see what other surrounding municipalities are doing.
