Ban Lawn Pesticides for the Good of the Environment and Our Personal Health

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by

Anthony DeSantis


If you drive around Newburyport you’ll see many beautifully manicured lawns, and alongside them, those little yellow pesticide application flags. You might not give those flags much thought, but there’s a good possibility that the products used on that lawn are hazardous both to human health and the environment. 

As someone who has spent the vast majority of my working years in lawn care and pest control, I always had a personal conflict working with these chemicals, due to the negative impact they may have on my health and the environment.

Just as Newburyport is the birthplace of the U.S. Coast Guard, the first flying field of New England, and the home of the first turnpike in Massachusetts, I believe it’s time for the city to be a leader once again, and become the first town in Massachusetts to put a ban on synthetic pesticides. 

One of the most overlooked aspects of pesticide applications is the non-target casualties from pesticides. Let’s say you use a service that sprays for mosquitos and ticks. If they are using traditional synthetic pesticides they are likely using a product with an active ingredient called Bifenthrin. While Bifenthrin is effective at killing mosquitos and ticks, it is also effective at killing bees, butterflies, dragonflies, ladybugs, fish, frogs, praying mantis, and other important pieces of our ecosystem. Colony Collapse disorder – where many worker bees vanish from hives – has also been linked to pesticide applications. With many sensitive areas in Newburyport such as the marshes, the river, and wetlands, banning synthetic pesticides is in our ecosystem’s best interest.

Colony Collapse Disorder among bees is a huge threat to our ecosystem and even the economy. Bees pollinate 70 of the approximately 100 different crop plants that feed 90% of the world, which is about $30 billion a year in crops. The recent reduction in the incidence of Colony Collapse is likely due to the slow adoption of organic alternatives and awareness of pesticide risks. 

Bifenthrin can also cause neurological issues and reproductive issues in humans. Imidacloprid, commonly used for grub control in lawn care, has been linked to neurological and developmental problems in children. Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, increases the risk of Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The list goes on.

Unfortunately, you can’t always trust lawn care and pest control companies. I have worked for several companies that have claimed to use only organic, and then asked me to add products that are either inorganic or not safe for bees. This is why I strongly encourage a ban on these products, to prevent it from being an issue in the first place.         

At the end of the day, what can we do to protect our environment and our populace? I would argue for a ban on synthetic pesticides for products with safer alternatives (exceptions for dire circumstances, like termites destroying your home, would of course be acceptable). But lawn care and mosquito and tick control do have safe and effective alternatives. At the minimum, I encourage you to vote with your dollars, work with companies like my own Bee Friendly Organic Mosquito and Tick Control, which genuinely stand by organic methods, and have made commitments to using products that are safe for bees, pollinators, and other insects.
 

Anthony DeSantis
Newburyport
Founder, Bee Friendly Organic Mosquito and Tick Control

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Comments

2 responses to “Ban Lawn Pesticides for the Good of the Environment and Our Personal Health”

  1. Fred Avatar
    Fred

    PLEASE! Do not listen to people with no formal education in this subject matter as this misinformation causes fear & harm… Virtually everything sated here is opinionated & a lie/false:

    1. Regulated & Safe Use:
    Lawn care and pest control products used by licensed professionals in MA are strictly regulated by MDAR and the EPA. These are tested for safety, and professionals are trained in safe, targeted application. The claim that these products are broadly “hazardous” ignores the importance of dosage, application method, and context.
    2. Emotional Argument ≠ Scientific Evidence:
    The speaker’s “personal conflict” is not proof. When applied correctly, EPA-approved pesticides pose no significant risk to human health or the environment.
    3. Not All Synthetics Are Harmful – Not All Organics Are Safe:
    Banning synthetics would penalize responsible companies and increase DIY misuse. Many “organic” products are actually more toxic to pollinators and require more frequent use, increasing environmental load.
    4. Pollinator Health Misrepresented:
    Bifenthrin is not linked to Colony Collapse Disorder. CCD is caused by mites, viruses, and habitat loss, not typical lawn pesticides. The data does not support the claim that organic alternatives have caused CCD rates to decline.
    5. Human Health Concerns Exaggerated:
    EPA and global health bodies find no cancer link to glyphosate at normal use levels. Bifenthrin and imidacloprid are safe when used as labeled. Lab-based “links” rely on unrealistically high doses.
    6. Misconduct Isn’t a Reason for a Ban:
    If companies misrepresent products, that’s a regulatory issue, not justification for a ban. MDAR can revoke licenses for violations. The answer is enforcement, not eliminating tools.
    7. “Safe Alternatives” Often Fall Short:
    Essential oil and garlic-based sprays offer minimal, short-term repellency. Organic weed control is less effective, more costly, and risks turf damage. Tick and mosquito control in New England requires reliable tools to combat Lyme and West Nile virus.
    8. Unintended Consequences:
    Banning synthetics would drive up costs, increase DIY misuse, and undermine public health pest control programs. Instead, Newburyport should lead by supporting IPM practices, enforcing existing rules, and promoting certified providers.

    Reply
    1. Tony Avatar
      Tony

      1. While MDAR and EPA regulate pesticides, all the products mentioned are available to the public to buy for DIY uses in your 3rd and 8th point you mention the potential of DIY misuse. DIY’ers are not trained or licensed to use these products and therefore it can’t be assumed that these products are being used at proper mix rates or using targeted approach that trained licensed individuals are. While this is an opinion I would argue we are safer with the public not having access to these products.

      In addition, did you know that there are only 27 employees of MDAR’s Division of Crop and Pest Services and only 11 total inspectors for the entire state and I believe only 6 of those inspectors have anything to do with inspections for lawn care and pest control companies? I would argue that is not sufficient to actually enforce pesticide laws and regulations to a point where we can say that all pesticide applications are performed safely or properly. In addition to risks of proper applications there are also risks from mixing and loading, as well as transportation of pesticides. For just one example in 2018 a TruGreen truck carrying fertilizers and pesticides fell into the Winnipesaukee river when an employee was drunk driving on the job. As an industry insider and having worked for several companies, I know first hand that not all of these companies properly train their employees in pesticide use.

      2. This is an opinion piece, therefore I presented my opinion primarily. This was not meant to be a deep dive into the science and I agree opinion is not scientific evidence. However not all of the information I present is opinion. For example Both bifenthrin and imidacloprid are EPA labeled as highly toxic to bees and aquatic life. That is a fact. The EPA classifies Bifenthrin and Imidacloprid as possible human carcinogens. With bifenthrin specifically due to evidence it causes tumors in mice. As well a recent study on bifenthrin gave these highlights indicating additional health risks:
      “•BF (Bifenthrin) causes cytotoxicity in human kidney cells and triggering apoptotic cell death.
      • BF exposure significantly increased ROS generation, reduced mitochondrial membrane potential.
      • BF altered gene expression of fusion and fission disrupting mitochondrial dynamics.
      • BF exposure caused significant disruption of the mitochondrial branched network.
      • BF affected mitochondrial respiratory capacity in human kidney cells.”
      Source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0269749125000806

      3. I think there is room for debate about whether or not it really penalizes responsible companies. It ultimately means they use different products and approaches like actually implementing IPM practices. Would there be some transition period? Yes, and I believe most companies could adapt to new regulations. For example at one point DDT was widely considered safe and was used commercially and then it was banned and companies started using alternative products.
      You also should provide sources to back up these claims: “Many “organic” products are actually more toxic to pollinators and require more frequent use, increasing environmental load.”

      4. I did not say that bifenthrin was linked to CCD. I said that CCD has been linked to pesticide applications. There are of course other factors.

      One of the factors contributing to CCD has been suspected to be neonicotinoid like imidacloprid weakening colonies leaving them susceptible to CCD. Again there is no disputing that Bifenthrin and imidacloprid and other neonicotinoid can kill bees. It says it on the product labels. I also did not say that the only thing contributing to the improvement of CCD is organic options. I said its likely due to organic options as well as pesticide awareness. For example people learning of the risks of neonicotinoid has led to 11 states using legislation to restrict the use of neonicotinoid, including Massachusetts. Mass made neonicotinoids a restricted use product so now companies need to get an additional license to apply neonicotinoids, I acknowledge a step in the right direction. These can still be purchased by DIY’ers with no training though.

      5. If glyphosate doesn’t cause cancer why has Bayer paid almost $11 billion in settling thousands of lawsuits over personal injury?

      6. This is a matter of opinion, and my opinion is that sometimes misconduct does warrant broader regulation. Systemic issues prevent companies from being reported for example if you were to report a company you work for you’d likely be treated like a whistleblower and be out of a job which is going to reduce the likelihood of people reporting issues.

      7. I simply disagree, working with the good companies that I have worked for that stood behind organic products whole heartedly the cost differences are not as extreme as they are often made out to be. Call back rates (the amount of times we went back to retreat a property) was within a percentage point of call back rates at companies that have used synthetic pesticides. I understand this is anecdotal evidence but it is my experience that customers can be very happy with their outcomes. Organic products and a more wholistic methodology can be very effective. Synthetic weed control or fertilizer applications alone can risk turf damage if not properly applied as well so that is a moot point. As well organic methods of weed control should not rely on spraying weeds alone but also cultural practices like proper mow height, regular aeration and overseeding, etc.

      8. I’m all for IPM and believe it has a role in organic approaches as well. However a lot of this point here is speculative. There is no evidence to support the claim that its going to drive up costs or increase DIY misuse. Also remember I am not calling for all out ban entirely, I did say there are times when you might need to bring out a nuclear option but in my opinion that is what pesticides should be used as. I think of it like chemo therapy, no one should be using it unless its absolutely necessary.

      Reply

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