Poisons in Your Backyard or Non-Toxic Lawn Care By Charlene Briggs Violets, skunk cabbage, jack in the pulpits and brilliant yellow forsythia blooms mark nature's evolution into spring. The emergence of dandelions, plantain, chickweed and burdock "weeds" however, signals the advent of lawn care season. Although there are many products on the market to create a bright green grass monoculture, there is a void of accurate and complete information on the environmental and health effects of these turf products. Unfortunately, the chemical industry's marketing strategies have perpetuated a lawn care paradigm based on misinformation, resulting in degradation of personal and planetary health. This paradigm contains two basic lawn care myths: Myth 1: Inorganic fertilizers are good for your lawn. Myth 2: EPA registration of a pesticide guarantees product safety. MYTH 1: The myth that inorganic fertilizers are necessary and in fact good for your lawn is based on the same misconception that has fueled conventional agriculture since the end of the Second World War. The agriculture and landscape industries promote the concept that healthy plants are the result of nutrient applications. However force-feeding nutrients to plants bypasses the most essential ingredient in the soilŠthe microorganisms. The use of inorganic fertilizers not only bypasses the microbes, it destroys them. Why are soil microorganisms important? Microorganisms are the foundation for soil fertility and plant health. They outnumber all other life forms on the planet; in fact 1 teaspoon (1 dry gram) of soil contains billions of microbes. Microbes serve a vital role in the soil. They populate root zones, feeding off nutrients exuded from the plants while making other nutrients available for plant growth at the times and rates the plants require. They protect plants from pathogens and are responsible for good soil structure, improving water infiltration and water holding capacity. They decompose plant residues, produce growth- regulating hormones and digest pollutants in the soil. The symbiotic relationship between plants and microbes, referred to as the soil-food web, is destroyed by the use of inorganic fertilizers. According to NCAP, Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides, EPA considers 95% of the pesticides used on residential lawns probable or possible carcinogens. How do inorganic fertilizers destroy the soil-food web? Soil microorganisms are basically little sacs of water. In the presence of inorganic fertilizers, they become dehydrated through the process of reverse osmosis. Chemical fertilizers also alter soil pH, which further disrupts the microbial environment. As the biodiversity of the soil-food web declines, plants become more and more chemically dependent. Grass may look green, grow fast and be weed-free, but in the long run, inorganic fertilizers create unhealthy grass and devitalized soil. How does inorganic fertilizer use create unhealthy plants and soil? Inorganic fertilizers supply only nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. Like people, plants need a wide spectrum of nutrients. As the fertilizers destroy microbial life, plants lose their supply of essential trace minerals. Chemical fertilizers also weaken plant cell structure, as inorganic phosphorous replaces calcium in the cell wall, resulting in plants that are fast growing but weak, watery and more susceptible to insects, drought and disease. Unfortunately, conventional techniques focus on treating these symptoms by adding more fertilizer and pesticides. The cycle continues, becoming more and more toxic to the soil, water, plants and people. Inorganic fertilizers contaminate water resources. Nitrogen is very water-soluble and easily leaches into the groundwater, increasing nitrate levels in our drinking water. Phosphates erode into surface waters and disturb the ecology of streams and lakes. (This is an example of nonpoint source pollution, a topic Maysie's Farm is addressing as part of its Growing Greener grant.) For the sake of a green lawn, chemical fertilizers are poisoning our water supplies. Inorganic fertilizers destroy soil and eventually lawn quality, even when used according to directions. They simply serve as catalysts expediting deterioration of ecological integrity. MYTH 2: EPA registration guarantees product safety. What does an EPA registration number mean? Any pesticide used in this country must be registered with the EPA. This registration does not constitute an approval rating nor does it guarantee that the chemicals have been fully tested for environmental and human health effects. Under our current regulatory system, pesticides are not tested for combined toxicity before they are marketed; pesticides may continue to be used after evidence of their hazards are proven and they may be registered while health and safety data are still being generated. EPA registration is nothing more than a number assigned to a product that has undergone minimal laboratory testing. Our regulatory process is based upon a cost-benefit analysis. According to the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act of 1947, this means, "it must take into account the economic, social and environmental costs and benefits." Product testing is either conducted by or paid for by industry. The process has built in conflict of interest and boils down to cost to the environment and humans vs. benefit to the industry. According to NCAP, Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides, EPA considers 95% of the pesticides used on residential lawns probable or possible carcinogens. Of the 36 most commonly used lawn care pesticides, 13 are associated with cancer, 14 with birth defects, 11 with reproductive problems, 21 with neurological damage, 15 liver or kidney injury and 30 are recognized irritants. Very often the active ingredients are less toxic than the inert ingredients, which are classified as trade secrets and are not subject to regulatory restrictions or testing. What are the most common pesticides in lawn care products? Crabgrass control, preemergents and broad leaf weed control are all synonymous with 2,4-D, one of the most dangerous and profuse pesticides in the industry. 2,4-D is a product of biological warfare research during WWII and is the second major ingredient in Agent Orange, the defoliant used in the Vietnam War. According to NCAP, research has documented the association between 2,4-D exposure and cancer in humans. 2,4-D is a proven neurotoxin and causes liver, kidney and reproductive organ damage. National Cancer Institute researchers have shown that dogs living in houses with lawns treated with 2,4-D have a risk of developing lymphoma that is twice a great as dogs without 2,4-D exposure. 2,4-D is sold as Weed-be-Gone, Weedone, Miracle, Demise, LawnKeep, Raid Weed Killer, Plantguard, Hormotox and DedWeed. Diazinon is a neurotoxin insecticide. NCAP reports Diazinon exposure is linked to increased risk of brain cancer in children and cancer among farm workers. The EPA is phasing out Diazinon due to its toxicity, however home lawn and garden use still totals 5.5 million pounds per year. Glyposate is a highly marketed "benign" broad-spectrum herbicide, with 40 million pounds applied annually in the US. It is sold as Roundup, Rodeo, Touchdown, Rattler, Sting and Pondmaster. Besides propelling Monsanto into the business of genetically engineered food crops, Roundup has been statistically linked to lymphoma (cancer of the white blood cells) according to the Lymphoma Foundation of America. Glyposate is acutely toxic to animals and is considered "extremely persistent" by the EPA with a half-life over 100 days. The surfactant in Roundup is more acutely toxic than glyposate, making the combined effect worse than glyposate alone. Agriculture has traditionally been blamed as the largest contributor to pesticide leachate and runoff. However, a USGS study found more 2,4-D and Diazinon in urban and suburban ground water than in rural aquifers. In 1991, 67 million pounds of pesticide active ingredient were applied on U.S. lawns. By 1997, application rates increased to 136 million pounds of active ingredients annually. Pesticides hit non-target organisms. Pesticides bioaccumulate; they build up in the environment. They leach into our groundwater, erode into our surface waters and are toxic to birds, aquatic organisms and insects. A Cornell study estimated 67 million songbirds are killed annually from our use of pesticides. In one study the turf pesticide, Diazanon, was linked to 50% reduction in hatching success of robin eggs. Beyond the myths of the chemical paradigm lies potential for change, as we restore ecological balance in our backyards. Organic lawn care, when done correctly, is actually less work and money than conventional lawn care and results in stronger, more resilient lawns. There are some things landowners can do to promote healthy growth. 1. Mow high. Raise mower height to 3" or above. Taller grass shades out weeds and helps maintain soil moisture. 2. Mulch leaves and grass clippings rather than raking and bagging. Compost excess leaves and grass; incorporate into gardens and flowerbeds. 3. Encourage diversity. Blend different grass varieties to add resilience and resistance. 4. Less lawn = more habitat for birds, wild animals and insects. Select native ground covers, like wildflowers and herbs such as low growing chamomile and thyme. 5. If you must fertilize, use compost. 6. Let your weeds grow. Weeds are part of a diverse ecosystem. They are food and medicine to us and to those with whom we share the planet. Organic Lawn Care Professionals Brian Jones, Natural Gardens & Lawns, Inc. POB 1271 Media, PA 19063, (610) 459-4644 Bill Landis, Nutri-Lawn, 103 Robin Road, Exton, PA 19341, (610) 524-1770 Chris Papada, Base Organics POB 2744 West Lawn, PA 19609, (610) 927-1942 Cliff Maske, Maske's Organic Gardening, POB 3135, Decatur, Illinois 62524, (217) 429-1980 Organic Lawn Care and Pesticide Information www.nofaic.org/ http://soilfoodweb.com www.pesticide.org http://ace.orst.edu/info/extoxnet/ghindex.html www.beyondpesticides.org Charlene Briggs has a degree in soil science from the University of Maryland, and has served as Executive Director of the Chester County Agricultural Land Preservation Program. She will be planting a Botanical Sanctuary at Maysie's Farm as part of United Plant Savers' efforts to preserve at-risk medicinal herbs.