Stop spraying lawn chemicals, companies told

Some Prince Edward Islanders received a lesson in organic lawn care this week as a ban on using some pesticides on lawns came into effect.

Author and filmmaker Paul Tukey used to work in the lawn care industry, but gave it up when his health began to fail.

"Initially it was blurred vision, and then it sort of escalated into other symptoms, like headaches and nausea, just rashes that I couldn't explain, a whole range of symptoms initially," Tukey told CBC News Monday.

"Then the doctor again took my bloodwork and attributed it to the chemicals."

Tukey put down the shovels, sprayers and mowers to become a full-time crusader against cosmetic pesticides. He's the author of a book and producer of a documentary film about Hudson, Quebec, the first place in North America to ban lawn pesticides.

Many more places have banned lawn chemicals since then, and P.E.I. is the latest, with its legislation banning some cosmetic pesticides coming into effect on April 1.

Tukey was on the Island this week giving a number of presentations to the public, local lawn care companies, and golf course maintenance people about organic care of lawns.

Marjorie Toews was one of 80 people who went to the public talk Saturday.

"Well some of the neighbours have used pesticide," said Toews.

"It was very disturbing to us, very obnoxious. The smell would blow up into our houses."

Tukey told Islanders that going organic yields better results than some homeowners expect, but he also said expectations need to change.

"The cultural malaise that exists that believes all dandelions are evil, dandelions are bad. That needs to change," he said.

"I can tell you that in Hudson, Quebec, where they haven't had pesticides for 20 years, if you don't have dandelions on your lawn your neighbours look at you like you must be cheating: going down to the United States, buying the illegal stuff."

Tukey has Toews convinced to go organic. She said she doesn't know what her lawn will look like at the end of the year, but she is hopeful.