Pesticide ban takes effect soon

Ontario’s cosmetic pesticides ban will take effect April 22.
The requirements of the ban are detailed in Ontario Regulation 63/09 and the Pesticides Act, which was amended by the Cosmetic Pesticides Ban Act, 2008.
There are a number of changes in the Pesticides Act, which now has 11 schedules of pesticides instead of the six categories before.
These are defined and explained at www.ontario.ca/pesticideban
Farmers, as defined in the regulation, can purchase and use pesticides in Classes 4, 5, 6 and 7 without a licence (Grower Pesticide Safety Course Certificate).
Licensed vendors will require uncertified farmers to present a Farm Business Registration Number or to sign a self-declaration form to authorize the purchase of Class 4 pesticides for use in their agricultural operation.
Class 4 includes agricultural products such as sulphur, copper, insecticidal soap, oils, Entrust, Dipel, Serenade, Trounce, etc. Class 5 includes domestic formulations for some of these products.
Class 8 domestic products (includes rotenone, pyrethrin, and spinosad) are banned for cosmetic use.
The new regulations are in effect April 22, and farmers who have been using domestic products containing rotenone, pyrethrin, or spinosad products will be unable to purchase these domestic products after that date.
Commercial formulations of pyrethrin (e.g. Trounce) and spinosad (Entrust, GF-120) can continue to be purchased by farmers.
Questions on the cosmetic pesticides ban should be directed to the MoE’s public information centre at 1-800-565-4923.