This issue just doesn’t seem to enjoy the sort of objective and consistent treatment that it deserves. It seems to defy being evaluated on the merits. While some people may wish that it were otherwise, the evidence supports getting rid of chemicals … get them out of our lives as much as possible.
Now we’re going to wrestle with the definition of ‘pest infestation’ that we sort of finessed when passing the law.
My view is that pesticides are for animal and insect pests. And I resent the lawn care industriy’s usurpation of the term. While this view may not be supported by all, I don’t consider weeds to be pests, and chemicals that target weeds are herbicides.
I do not support ANY amount of chemical herbicide use in our city, so that would include all lawn care ‘pesticides’.
I support use of rodent poison in cases where warranted by an inability to trap, and only INSIDE buildings.
I support insecticide where critters such as termites or ants are destroying property, or where bedbugs, cockroaches, etc have become established.
I resent efforts to include weed killers in this debate. They are what we want to get rid of, and let’s remember that. WP