FOR RELEASE: Wednesday May 11, 2005
CONTACT: Aimee Code, NW Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides. (503) 423-7549 (cell) OR (541) 344-5044 ext 27

REPORT: LAWN INSECTICIDE FOULS LOCAL STREAMS
Federal Government Fails to Protect People and Salmon from Toxic Pesticide

Portland -- A new analysis of urban pesticide sales and stream contamination in the Northwest revealed a shocking increase in the toxic insecticide carbaryl. After the phaseout of the lawn insecticides diazinon and DursbanTM, carbaryl sales increased by more than tenfold. Levels of carbaryl in salmon streams also showed a significant increase. These results are presented in a report, Toxic Tradeoff, to be released today by the Clean Water for Salmon Campaign.*

Like diazinon and DursbanTM, carbaryl is toxic to the nervous system. According to the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) it is a likely carcinogen. When it pollutes streams, it can harm salmon directly and, is highly toxic to animals that are food for salmon.

"Banning urban uses of Dursban and diazinon was a good thing for people and fish, but we're chasing our tails when people just move to another toxic pesticide," said Philip Dickey, staff scientist with the Washington Toxics Coalition and co-author of Toxic Tradeoff. "Our analysis shows that when more chemicals are used, more wash off into our salmon streams. Carbaryl is an increasing threat in urban streams in the Northwest."

Carbaryl is currently under scrutiny by federal regulators and wildlife agencies. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is now considering whether to keep carbaryl on the market, or restrict its uses. The agency is responding to a petition by farm worker, beekeeper, and environmental organizations to ban all uses of carbaryl. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service commented earlier this year that the limited restrictions EPA has already proposed will not be enough to protect fish and wildlife.

The EPA is also revisiting its assessments of whether carbaryl and other pesticides harm threatened salmon, as part of a pledge to improve its scientific methods. EPA has been reprimanded by wildlife agencies for using outdated and inadequate science to assess the impacts of pesticides on endangered species.

"Pesticides don't stay put. What we put on our lawns washes into our streams," said Aimee Code of the Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides. "Current federal regulation of pesticides is not keeping our waters safe. We can clean up our waters and keep our yards beautiful by using healthy and effective lawn care techniques."

Northwest residents can grow a healthy lawn without pesticides by mowing regularly with a mulching mower, fertilizing with an organic or slow release fertilizer, and aerating and over seeding the lawn.

The full text of the report is available at http://www.pesticide.org/ToxicTradeoff.pdf

Information on healthy lawn care techniques can be found at http://www.pesticide.org/lawns.html

* The Clean Water For Salmon Campaign is a joint effort of the Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides and Washington Toxics Coalition

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Resources:

• US Fish & Wildlife Service: Comments on carbaryl submitted to EPA
• Natural Resources Defense Council: Comments on carbaryl submitted to EPA
• Toxic Tradeoff: New report
• Call for action: Citizens can tell EPA to ban carbaryl