[GreenYes] Fwd: [USCC] Dow AgroSciences Discontinues U.S. Residential Turf Uses of Herbicide Clopyralid

[Gary Liss <gary@garyliss.com>]

>From: Schwab.Jean@epamail.epa.gov
>To: compost@compostingcouncil.org
>Date: Fri, 26 Jul 2002 12:40:11 -0400
>
>Dow Press Release Issued at 9:00 am Indianapolis time today.
>
> > July 26, 2002
> >
> > Contact:
> > Garry Hamlin
> > Dow AgroSciences
> > 317/337-4799
> >
> > Dow AgroSciences Discontinues U.S. Residential Turf Uses of Herbicide 
> Clopyralid
> >
> > INDIANAPOLIS -- A widely used herbicide for control of invasive,
>noxious and other hard-to-control weeds will no longer be used on U.S.
>residential lawns, as a result of an action taken to address regulatory 
>concerns by the product's primary manufacturer, Dow AgroSciences LLC.
>
>Clopyralid products will continue to be used on golf courses and
>certain other forms of nonresidential turf.  However, Dow AgroSciences has 
>petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to delete
>residential turf uses from the clopyralid product label.  Additionally, 
>under the amended label professional applicators will now be required to notify
>property managers not to compost clippings from treated grass.
>Farm, ranch and forestry uses will be unaffected.
>
>"The decision to discontinue residential turf use of the herbicide was
>made to address regulatory concerns about the potential for damage to
>sensitive plants from clopyralid residues in compost," said Dow
>AgroSciences vice president for urban pest control products Elin
>Miller.
>"This action is based on a few isolated reports of plant damage, not
>on concerns about human health."
>A premium herbicide, clopyralid controls noxious and invasive weeds at
>very low rates.  The product breaks down readily in the natural soil
>environment but appears to degrade more slowly in compost.
>
>While herbicides containing clopyralid are only active on a few families
>of plants, there have been reports of residues in compost damaging
>sensitive plants.  Few instances have been established, and in those
>cases that have been documented, primarily in Washington State, the 
>residues were tied to programs promoting composting of grass clippings 
>from residential lawns.
>
>Label directions for products from Dow AgroSciences containing the
>active ingredient clopyralid warn against using compost containing treated
>material.  However, inadvertent composting of clopyralid-treated grass
>clippings (e.g., via curbside pickup) may be a factor in residential
>use.
>
>"We see amending the clopyralid product label to discontinue
>residential turf use as a prudent step while gathering data to better 
>understand the many ways that the composting industry processes compost 
>and the breakdown of our product in these materials," Miller said.
>"Considerable research is now underway that will help shed light on this 
>issue."

>Plant damage linked with clopyralid-containing compost seems much less
>likely when the compost is incorporated into soil in use.  (Note:
>
>Sensitive and nonsensitive plant species lists are available at the
>Washington State Department of Agriculture Web site
>www.wa.gov/agr/clopyralid.htm).
>Products containing clopyralid have been on the U.S. market for more
>than 15 years.  Regulators have described the product as "a low-toxicity
>  chemical that poses little hazard to people, animals and mostegetation."
>
>The product is extremely effective against invasive and persistent
>weeds such as Yellow starthistle and Canada thistle.
>Dow AgroSciences LLC, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, is a global
>leader in providing pest management and biotechnology products that
>improve the quality and quantity of the earth's food supply and
>contribute to the safety, health and quality of life of the world's growing
>population. Dow AgroSciences is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Dow
>Chemical Company.
>###
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Gary Liss
916-652-7850
Fax: 916-652-0485

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