Big-box stores put kibosh on garden chemicals

25.04.2008 16:00 Shopping - Source: cbc.ca

Home Depot and Canadian Tire will stop selling traditional lawn and garden chemicals by the end of this year, instead offering alternatives to environmentally harmful treatments, the companies have announced.

Home Depot's Canadian stores will phase out the sale of cosmetic pesticides by the end of 2008, the company said this week. Canadian Tire announced it, too, would phase out the use of cosmetic pesticides, and anticipates that stores in Ontario will no longer be selling the pesticides by the end of this summer.

The decision follows the Ontario government's announcement this week to join Quebec in banning the sale and use of cosmetic pesticides.

The news was welcomed by the owner of a Winnipeg-area garden store that has long been encouraging its green-thumb customers to become greener.

Shelmerdine Garden Centre in Headingley removed "feed and weed fertilizers" from its shelves a decade ago.

Raising environmental awareness

The store's owner, Jan Pederson, said he's glad to see the big-box stores following suit, noting the decision will help make gardeners more aware of the environmental concerns surrounding lawn chemicals.

"I applaud them for getting involved and trying to provide more innovative solutions to gardeners, just as we have," he said.

Pederson said his store still offers some chemicals, but his staff tries to steer customers to more natural products.

David Hinton, owner of Weed Man, a lawn-maintenance company in Winnipeg, did not expect the stores' decision to affect his business.

Weed Man doesn't offer retail sales of pesticides, but said the landscaping industry is "miles ahead" of the big-box stores and provincial legislation.

"We don't use pesticides very often," he said. "Think of it as taking a pill when you have a headache. We're in the business of keeping lawns and landscapes healthy, and only use pesticides when necessary."

Hinton said he uses pesticides for minor spot treatments on his own lawn once or twice a year.

"People still want to have a great lawn and maintain their landscapes, but I don't think removing [pesticides] from shelves or banning their use is necessary," he said. "Over time people will move away from them as more organic products become available."

Health Canada has approved the chemicals used in lawn and garden pesticides, he noted, ensuring they're safe to use as directed.

However, some health experts warn pesticides have been linked to devastating health effects on vulnerable groups, such as pregnant women and children.

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