In the Detroit Free Press today (7.10.11) the front page headline reads, “New lawn chemical chief suspect in mysterious deaths of trees.” The article describes how millions of dollars of Norway Spruce and white pines are dying this summer. The culprit is thought to be a new lawn chemical known as Imprelis. This chemical is manufactured by DuPont.
Imprelis was promoted by DuPont to control weeds such as dandelions. The article quotes a landscaper as saying that he thought he was doing the right thing by switching herbicides to Imprelis.
Doing the right thing? Sorry, I am not buying that one. We are polluting our environment by using herbicides and pesticides in order to have a green lawn. Pesticides and herbicides are bound to cause harm to humans and other animals as many of these chemicals are known as persistent organic pollutants. That means they are not easily broken down in the environment and their toxic effects can persist for a long period of time.
Research has found medical problems such as non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, leukemia, cancer of the brain and prostate, birth defects, fetal death and neurodevelopmental disorders associated with pesticide use.
All for a green lawn? No way. Not at my house. I would not want to expose my children or my dog to toxic chemicals. I don’t use pesticides and herbicides and I strongly encourage you to avoid these products. Pesticides and herbicides are much more than weed controllers; they are toxins to humans and other animals alike.
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