Is Your Landscaper Licensed? The State Says They Have to Be if They Use Pesticides

From the Department of Pesticide Regulation:

This fall, DPR will be paying close attention to pesticides available to consumers, especially those used on lawns and in home gardens.

We have added new pages on our website urging all homeowners to check that their maintenance gardener (landscaper) has a DPR state business license if they apply pesticides as part of their gardening service. You can see the new pages here.

Most people associate pesticides with agriculture, but a recent DPR study shows that in 2011 about two-thirds of the illness from pesticide exposure came from non-agricultural settings such as homes, gardens, school yards, and golf courses.

DPR believes that pesticides can and should be used safely, so we are expanding our outreach to directly involve homeowners and consumers. Many people don’t realize that some of their flea and tick sprays, insect repellents, pool chemicals and laundry disinfectants are pesticides. Homeowners are sometimes surprised to learn that their “mow-and-blow” gardener or landscape maintenance company may be applying pesticides containing powerful chemistry to their lawns.

In fact, homeowners use up to 10 times more chemical pesticides per acre on their lawns than farmers use on crops according to the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Like DPR, the agency wants consumers to use chemical pesticides only when necessary.

If used incorrectly, pesticides can pose a risk to children and pets. Traces of pesticides used on lawns and gardens may run off the soil and enter local rivers, streams and wetlands via storm drains. This may impact our groundwater supply and also affect local aquatic life. DPR scientists regularly monitor rivers and creeks for pesticides all over California. Our studies show us that urban use is responsible for the pesticides in many waterways.

Even if you have a small lawn, with a small amount of pesticides, when combined with other homes and businesses you could be adversely affecting a significant amount of aquatic life. California has nearly 10,000 individuals and businesses licensed to apply pesticides in urban and residential settings.

It is time for homeowners and landlords to step up to the plate.

So what should homeowners do?

• First, check that your maintenance gardener or landscaper is licensed by DPR if they use pesticides. That is the law. You can easily find licensing information on our website. A state license from DPR ensures that the person applying pesticides has been properly trained to use them in outdoor garden areas. So what should homeowners do?
• Second, only hire trained and licensed maintenance gardeners. People with proper training are more likely to use safer methods to better protect your family and the environment.
• Third, look on DPR’s website for many tips on how you can minimize the use of pesticides on your lawn, such as introducing beneficial insects or using native plants which attract fewer pests. DPR believes that the safe use of using pesticides is everyone’s responsibility and we can all work together to protect our environment.

COMMENT ON THIS STORY BY SCROLLING TO FIND THE COMMENT SECTION BELOW.

Wondering how our new commenting platform, Disqus, works? Learn more about it here and start interacting with your neighbors on Patch.