New provincial ban replaces City’s pesticide use policy
On Earth Day, Council revoked the City’s pesticide use policy, which prohibited the cosmetic use of pesticides on municipally owned and operated property. Ontario’s new province-wide
pesticide regulation banning the sale and use of cosmetic pesticides, which took effect April 22, 2009, now supersedes the City’s policy.
The provincial pesticide ban only allows the use of certain lower-risk pesticides for controlling weeds and pests in lawns and gardens, and prohibits the sale and use of pesticides for cosmetic purposes (including many herbicides, fungicides and insecticides) on lawns, gardens, parks and schoolyards. However, it also provides exceptions for public health or safety reasons, such as the prevention of West Nile Virus, and the control of stinging insects and poisonous plants.
Proper Disposal of Pesticides
If you have pesticides stored in your garage or garden shed that are now banned, you can take them to the
Household Hazardous Waste Depot for proper disposal. Left over pesticides should never be disposed of in a manner that would harm public health or the environment (poured down the drain, for example).
