Organic Lawns for America

Pesticide Recall

Scotts recalls unregistered pesticides

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has ordered Scotts Miracle Gro Co. to stop selling illegal, unregistered and misbranded pesticides.

"Scotts has agreed to recall these products from all retail locations across the U.S." and to help consumers safely return any unregistered products they may have purchased, EPA officials said in a press release.

Despite increased scrutiny, it appears that Scotts has forgotten to comply with the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, which says "all pesticides must be submitted to EPA for review, evaluation and registration to ensure that they do not pose an unreasonable risk to human health or the environment."

Scotts officials have not yet been reached for comment.

It's not known whether there are any risks posed by the unregistered products, but the EPA and the Ohio Department of Agriculture (where Scotts is based) are currently testing the products.

Until we know more, don't use them and store them in a safe, cool and dry place such as a garage or utility shed.  Don't dump them down the drain, in the garbage or at a community disposal site.

The products can be identified by an invalid "EPA registration number" listed on the package.

Invalid registration number 62355-4 is marketed under names including "Garden Weed Preventer + Plant Food" and "Miracle Gro Shake 'n' Feed All Purpose Plant Food Plus Weed Preventer."

Invalid registration number 538-304 is used primarily by Scotts Lawn Service, a lawn care company.  It is marketed under names including "Scotts Lawn Service Fertilizer with .28% Halts," "Scotts Lawn Service Fertilizer 0-0-7 Plus .28% Halts Pro," "Scotts Lawn Service Fertilizer 14-2-5 Plus .28% Halts Pro" and "Scotts Lawn Service Fertilizer 22-0-8 Plus .28% Halts Pro." 

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Call the EPA consumer hot line (888-838-1304) or check out the National Pesticide Information Center.

For more EPA info on pesticides, click here.

Pesticide Poisoning in Salmon (Pacific Northwest)

From "Findings" The Science Magazine News Blog.  An interesting article about how certain pesticides are really damaging Salmon populations.  The products that are called into question are commonly used lawn care chemicals.  Ironically, malathion is one of them.  Malathion is the chemical we have been following in the Hawaii drift case. 

February 16, 2008

                         

Pesticide Brew Spells Trouble for Salmon

                               

                        

Salmon in the U.S. Pacific Northwest, and elsewhere, have been in a world of hurt for decades. One of their main enemies is agricultural chemicals, like chlorpyrifos. The pesticide interferes with salmon brains and harms their ability to feed, according to studies by Nathaniel Scholz, a zoologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Seattle. Now Scholz's research is showing that mixtures of pesticides are even worse for salmon and can be surprisingly lethal. 

Chlorpyrifos and other so-called organophosphate pesticides kill cells by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase, an enzyme that helps neurons communicate. These pesticides are sprayed on crops and are widespread in streams in the Northwest; half of the waters sampled by the U.S. Geological Survey contain six or more pesticides. In their previous work with salmon, Scholz and his colleagues had only looked at the effects of one pesticide. To get a more realistic idea of exposure, they designed lab experiments to test effects of mixtures of chlorpyrifos and four other pesticides, exposing juvenile salmon to two compounds at a time.

               

                                                                  

                               

At the highest concentrations, which exceeded natural conditions, all the various combinations of pesticides inhibited the activity of acetylcholinesterase by at least 50%--a level which impacts behavior. The two lower concentrations were more realistic, and at that level a quarter of the combinations put a crimp on acetylcholinesterase. What's particularly important, Scholz says, is that the total impact was greater than the sum of the two pesticides, demonstrating a synergistic effect.

The biggest surprise was the strength of the synergistic punch from the pesticides diazinon and malathion, which killed all the salmon exposed to them. Even at the lowest concentration, fish were extremely sick, Scholz says. "It was eye opening," Scholz says. "We're seeing relatively dramatic departures" from what happens with each pesticide by itself.

Scholz says the findings, which are in review for publication, mean that the Environmental Protection Agency may be underestimating the hazard pesticides pose to salmon. Given the hundreds of millions of dollars being spent to help salmon populations recover, it's crucial to have a good handle on the biggest threats, he adds.

"It's quite an advance that they were able to examine this in such detail," says toxicologist Derek Muir of Environment Canada's Aquatic Ecosystem Protection Research Branch in Burlington. "It's quite significant work." Because there is a good deal of information about where pesticides are sprayed, Muir says, it may be possible to estimate the impact on wild populations. But factoring in all the other chemicals in streams will be difficult, he cautions.

--Erik Stokstad

More information on salmon recovery efforts can be found here.

                        

                        

Salmon in the U.S. Pacific Northwest, and elsewhere, have been in a world of hurt for decades. One of their main enemies is agricultural chemicals, like chlorpyrifos. The pesticide interferes with salmon brains and harms their ability to feed, according to studies by Nathaniel Scholz, a zoologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Seattle. Now Scholz's research is showing that mixtures of pesticides are even worse for salmon and can be surprisingly lethal. 

Chlorpyrifos and other so-called organophosphate pesticides kill cells by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase, an enzyme that helps neurons communicate. These pesticides are sprayed on crops and are widespread in streams in the Northwest; half of the waters sampled by the U.S. Geological Survey contain six or more pesticides. In their previous work with salmon, Scholz and his colleagues had only looked at the effects of one pesticide. To get a more realistic idea of exposure, they designed lab experiments to test effects of mixtures of chlorpyrifos and four other pesticides, exposing juvenile salmon to two compounds at a time.

               

                               

At the highest concentrations, which exceeded natural conditions, all the various combinations of pesticides inhibited the activity of acetylcholinesterase by at least 50%--a level which impacts behavior. The two lower concentrations were more realistic, and at that level a quarter of the combinations put a crimp on acetylcholinesterase. What's particularly important, Scholz says, is that the total impact was greater than the sum of the two pesticides, demonstrating a synergistic effect.

The biggest surprise was the strength of the synergistic punch from the pesticides diazinon and malathion, which killed all the salmon exposed to them. Even at the lowest concentration, fish were extremely sick, Scholz says. "It was eye opening," Scholz says. "We're seeing relatively dramatic departures" from what happens with each pesticide by itself.

Scholz says the findings, which are in review for publication, mean that the Environmental Protection Agency may be underestimating the hazard pesticides pose to salmon. Given the hundreds of millions of dollars being spent to help salmon populations recover, it's crucial to have a good handle on the biggest threats, he adds.

"It's quite an advance that they were able to examine this in such detail," says toxicologist Derek Muir of Environment Canada's Aquatic Ecosystem Protection Research Branch in Burlington. "It's quite significant work." Because there is a good deal of information about where pesticides are sprayed, Muir says, it may be possible to estimate the impact on wild populations. But factoring in all the other chemicals in streams will be difficult, he cautions.

--Erik Stokstad

More information on salmon recovery efforts can be found here.

                        

Continuing to track the Malathion Drift in Hawaii.

The Malathion story in Hawaii is getting bigger.  Two sides have developed; one side says that the smell was from a weed in a field next to the school.  Guess who's side that is.  There are too many articles to repost but the most commonly used word in all of them is "panic."  Panic from malathion....not good.

Reeking odor sickens students, school staff

No one needs to be hospitalized after the pesticide malathion is sprayed nearby

STORY SUMMARY »

St. Joseph School in Waipahu evacuated about 465 students, faculty and staff yesterday afternoon after someone sprayed the pesticide malathion behind a classroom building, filling the air with noxious fumes.

Twenty-nine students and two teachers who felt sick were checked by paramedics at the scene, but no one was taken to a hospital, said Bryan Cheplic, spokesman for the Emergency Services Department.

The 31 individuals reported eye and throat irritation.

Two recent similar incidents at Waimea Canyon Middle School on Kauai led a seed company to announce that it will not spray the pesticide Warrior near the school while tests are being performed.

 

STAR-BULLETIN

 

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GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM About 465 students, faculty and staff at St. Joseph School on Farrington Highway in Waipahu had to be evacuated yesterday afternoon following the spraying of a pesticide near a school building.

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FULL STORY »

 

By Leila Fujimori
lfujimori@starbulletin.com

Twenty-nine children and two teachers at St. Joseph School in Waipahu were sickened yesterday by a noxious odor traced to the spraying of the pesticide malathion -- which led to the evacuation of all 465 students, faculty and staff.

Those treated complained of eye and throat irritation, a city official said.

Frantic parents and family members came to pick up their children at the pre-kindergarten-through-grade-8 school. But the fire engines, ambulance vehicles and a city articulated bus (in case it was necessary to transport patients) were parked on Farrington Highway in front of the school, causing a traffic jam.

Some parents and relatives knew nothing of the incident and were frantic after seeing the emergency vehicles.

Danna Kay Ballesteros, 19, who went to pick up her little brother, said, "I was panicking when I got to the chapel."

Elsie Fernandez said she was concerned about her 7-year-old daughter after hearing an announcement on the radio. "I rushed over here to get her," she said. "It's really spooky. Fortunately, she's not affected."

Her daughter Chloe Fernandez, a second-grader, clung to her mother and said, "I feel OK. I'm just scared. I'm shaking a little."

 

GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM Honolulu firefighters wrapped up operations yesterday at St. Joseph School after a noxious odor traced to the spraying of a pesticide forced the school's evacuation.

At about 1:30 p.m. yesterday, someone on campus or the surrounding parish grounds applied malathion near Building N along a fence line that separates the schoolyard from the rectory, and strong winds carried the chemical fumes to the classrooms, fire and school officials said. The non-air- conditioned building houses classrooms for pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and the third and sixth grades. The sixth-grade class reported the smell, school officials said.

The school has 425 students and 40 staff and faculty.

Fire Capt. Terry Seelig said the school did an excellent job of segregating students who reported symptoms from those who were OK, and contacting parents to pick up their children.

Those without symptoms were taken to the church next door.

Those with symptoms were taken to a separate building where their blood pressure and oxygenation levels were checked.

Third-grader Anela Gaspang, 8, said, "I had a coughing feel and it got a little hard, and my throat started to hurt."

After a triage tag saying "contaminated" was placed on her, "I started to cry a little. I thought something was going to happen to me," Anela said. "Once the firefighters cleaned up the chemicals, we started feeling better."

Dallas Carter, campus minister, said the often twice-weekly practice drills for fire, hazardous materials and medical emergencies paid off.

When asked whether the practice of spraying pesticides would be halted during school hours, Principal Beverly Sandobal said, "The main thing is the children are safe."

She said the school will look into the spraying, but she did not have all the details yesterday afternoon because school officials were busy ensuring the children were safe and able to get home.

A man whose young sister-in-law is a student said, "It's an overreaction. ... It's like going to your back yard and spraying roundup. I think it was basically an honest mistake."

But he acknowledged that while he was driving to the school, "I was freaked out. My heart was racing."

Phosphorus is Bad

This is a newspaper article about how many localities are banning fertilizers that contain phosphorus.  Phosphorus is a large part of chemical lawn care because it aids in the root development of turf grass.  With an organic approach it is not necessary because the entire goal is to improve the soil through natural means not through adding synthetic elements.

Another West Michigan Fertilizer Ban

Linda Paige

Last night Allegan County added its name to the list of communities and counties banning phosphorus fertilizers. Too much phosphorus can lead to algae blooms and poor water quality in West Michigan lakes.

Mike Waldecker, Co Owner, AAA Lawn Care says, "We knew that it was just a matter of time before it came our way so we decided to be ahead of the curve."

Mike stopped using phosphorous fertilizer several years ago.

"We're keeping an eye on things to make sure that our lawn quality stays high for a long period of time," says Mike.

Most regulations allow for phosphorous if tests show that it's needed and for new lawns.

Mike believes, “We're an ally of clean water systems by having healthy turf grass."

If you don't hire a professional but want to purchase phosphate free fertilizer you have options.

"We carry a phosphorous free line from Scotts," says Jordan Wiseman, Garden Supplies Manager, Flowerland. "We've carried not only phosphorous free fertilizers but other natural and organic products for several years now."

Mike and Jordan agree that testing your soil is a good idea.

Jordan says, "We do provide a soil test here at Flowerland they can bring in a good quart of soil and we can have that tested."

To find out exactly what you need.

Jordan goes on to say, "This year we are increasing our naturals and organics and phosphorous free fertilizers for this upcoming year because of the demand."

Web Editor: Chris Fleszar, Executive Producer

Web Editor: Linda Paige, Meterologist