Nova Scotia Environment Non-essential Pesticides Program

1. Nova Scotia Environment Non-essential Pesticides Program

2. Overview How pesticides are regulated in Canada Understanding the Act, Regulations and Allowable List

3. Understanding how pesticides are regulated in Canada • Federal Government • Health Canada’s Pesticide Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) registers pest control products • Label is a legal document • Provincial Government regulates the storage and use (approvals, certification, auditing, compliance)

4. Background • Public Consultation in winter 2009/2010 • 80% of public support for this legislation • Act passed May 2010 • Regulations and List of Allowable Pesticides approved December 2010 • Consulted extensively with the lawn care industry, medical groups and special interest groups

5. The Act • Non-essential Pesticides Control Act was passed on May 11, 2010 • Beginning April 2011 Act restricts pesticides labeled for sale or use in, on or over a lawn except those on the Minister’s “Allowable List” • Beginning April 2012 Pesticides labeled for outdoor tree, shrub, flower or other ornamental plant will be restricted

6. The Act • The Act exempts: • Forestry • Agriculture • Golf course • The Act does also not apply to: • Indoor use • Structural/Public Health (carpenter ants, fleas, bed bugs, rodents)

7. The Act • The Act does apply to the use of specific pesticides on lawns and ornamentals, including: • Residential property • Apartment/condo buildings • Commercial property • Government property (Provincial and Municipal and likely Federal) • Cemeteries • Institutional (e.g. hospitals, schools, universities)

8. Exceptions to Prohibitions on Non-essential Pesticides Regulations The exceptions are: • animal that bites, stings, is venomous or carries disease or poisonous to human touch • fungus, plant or animal that may negatively affect a building, structure or machine • alien invasive species, other than a plant, that may negatively affect the health of humans, the environment or the economy • alien invasive species that are plants

9. Exceptions to Prohibitions on Non-essential Pesticides Regulations • Only one active ingredient is allowed to treat poisonous plants, plants that may impact a structure or alien invasive plant species. • a. i. – glyphosate, recognizable trade name is Round-up

10. Exceptions to Prohibitions on Non-essential Pesticides Regulations • So how does someone buy a pesticide for excepted uses? • Purchasers must speak with a certified vendor. • Purchasers are not permitted direct access to pesticides that are for excepted uses.

11. Certified vendor • Is required to provide written information about the circumstances under which the pesticide is permitted to be used.

12. Changing Behaviour • Program philosophy: landscaping pesticides are not necessary so they now have more restrictions • Community Based Social Marketing Approach • Restrictions start at the retailers • Students are verifying compliance through visits

13. Industry Education • Landscape NS - industry association representing professional landscaper • help in getting messages out to their businesses • help with consumer advice for growing a healthy lawn • Pesticide Wholesalers • very important group since they can help limit retailers’ product choices • retailers – emails and visits • there is not an industry association for this group

14. Public Education • Brochures sent through all the major newspapers • promotion of healthy lawn practices to avoid the need for pesticides • promotion that there is a new law • Minister’s program launch & press release • Ongoing media interviews • Nonprofit environmental education organizations conducting outreach throughout the spring • home shows, farmers markets, demonstrations

15. Strengthening Collaboration • Health & Wellness • IWK • Canadian Cancer Society – Halifax Chapter • Pesticide Free NS • Landscape NS • Retail Council of Atlantic Canada • Retail outlets such as Halifax Seed, Home Hardware • Communications NS