Home Depot's move to rid their stores of conventional pesticides nation-wide points to a growing trend toward eco-friendly products

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As municipal and provincial bans on traditional pesticides and herbicides spread across the country, the US retail giant Home Depot will voluntarily phase these products off their shelves in Canada by the end of this year. In some cases, this move is in compliance with newly enacted laws, while in much of the country the move anticipates a nation-wide ban.

"Our stores will prominently feature green pesticide alternatives, in addition to our current Eco Options," said Annette Verschuren in a press release. Annette is president of The Home Depot Canada and Asia.

In 2006 the Province of Quebec banned pesticides for cosmetic purposes, adopting standards comparable to European standards, and the toughest in North America. This past April, on Earth Day, Ontario Premier McGinty announced even tougher measures, to be in place in that province by 2009.

In New Brunswick, four communities have banned residential pesticide use: Shediac, Caraquet, Sackville and St. Andrews. Other communities are considering the matter. Even the strict Quebec and Ontario regulations, however, still allow traditional pesticide use in agriculture and on golf courses.

While The Home Depot can and does claim bragging rights about being the first to remove conventional pesticides from their stores, it is by no means the only retailer in Canada which makes green alternatives available to its customers.

Kent and Canadian Tire both stock a wide variety of environmentally friendly indoor and outdoor home care products, and Home Hardware has their own line of such products, Natura, in addition to other lines.

"Like our customers," Annette says, "we at The Home Depot are concerned about the environment. We are working with our suppliers to develop pesticide alternatives that are environmentally friendly and produce excellent results on lawns and gardens."

There is ongoing discussion about the level of danger posed by traditional residential pesticides, some arguing that Health Canada, the body which regulates pesticide use in this country, would not allow unsafe chemicals to be sold.

According to a Montreal Gazette article of April 4, 2006, however, Health Canada says that pesticides are safe when label directions are followed, but warns that "pesticides have been linked to childhood cancer, birth defects and neurological disease Health Canada, the body which regulates pesticide use".

Some scientists also express concern about the possibility that some 'green' products may be better for the planet, but possibly not for humans, and advocate comprehensive lists of ingredients on each product. Says Home Depot spokesperson Dina Vieira,

"The PMRA legislates that the active ingredients be listed on all natural pesticide alternatives. This acts as the 'guarantee' on the package." The PMRA is the Pest Management Regulatory Agency, which is an agency of Health Canada.

What does all this mean for the average Moncton area shopper? Simply that more and more environmentally friendly products are becoming available for inside and outside the home

The Home Depot has begun its phasing out of traditional herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, slug baits, moss control products and lawn fertilizers with weed control, while other retailers still carry these products as well as 'green' substitutes.

Shopping more than ever is a matter of choices.