The city of South Portland will hold a press conference at City Hall on Tuesday, Sept. 13, at 11 a.m., to publicize the adoption of the new pesticide ban and to answer questions.
During its meeting last week, the City Council adopted an ordinance that restricts the use of pesticides for all turf, landscape and outdoor pest management activities.
The goal of the new ordinance, according to Julie Rosenbach, South Portland’s sustainability coordinator, is to “minimize the detrimental effects of pesticides on public health and the environment by greatly restricting pesticide use and promoting organic landscaping and lawn care practices to prevent pest problems.”
The ban will be phased in over three years to allow for education and outreach designed to help the community “understand and transition to organic land care practices,” Rosenbach added.
The ban will go into effect on city-owned property in May 2017 and will then be broadened to include private property in May 2018.
“We are working under the belief that most people are interested in complying with the law,” Rosenbach said, “and we are focusing our efforts on helping them understand how to do it.”
Under the new ordinance, a seven-member Pest Management Advisory Committee will also be created to help oversee the implementation of the new ordinance and advise the City Council and the sustainability coordinator.
– Kate Irish Collins
Send questions/comments to the editors.
