Here's a press release I sent out for a group I volunteer with.
––PRESS RELEASE––
For Immediate Release, June 10, 2005
Insecticide Threatens Local Streams
Burnaby streamkeepers fear that the introduction of Merit insecticide to combat the European chafer in the lower mainland could have serious effects on local streams. The active ingredient in Merit – imidacloprid – is highly toxic to aquatic invertebrates, or in other words, the water bugs that fish and other animals in the food chain need to survive.
Burnaby streams had their best salmon spawner returns in decades last autumn, and scientific bug counts by streamkeepers show that water quality in some streams has been improving recently. It would be a shame for the efforts of many volunteers and government agencies at the local, provincial and national levels to go to waste.
The label on Merit says:
"Do not apply within 30 meters of environmentally sensitive areas such as lakes, streams, rivers or other aquatic systems. Do not apply to terrains where there is a potential for surface run-off to enter aquatic systems." We note that storm drains lead directly to creeks and streams.
It further says:
"This product is highly toxic to bees…. This product is highly toxic to aquatic invertebrates…. The use of this chemical in areas where soils are permeable, particularly where the water table is shallow, may result in groundwater contamination."
We have learned that landscaping companies working in Burnaby have been recommending Merit to clients, and have heard that some strata councils have approved its use. Inquiries with the BC Ministry of Water, Land & Air Protection, and the Federal Pest Management Regulatory Agency confirm that licensed landscapers must follow the restrictions on the label.
The City of Burnaby strongly recommends that chemicals be used as a last resort, advising proper lawn care as the first step, and the use of native nematodes as another option. We urge landscapers, strata councils, and homeowners to reconsider using Merit.
––END––