Brighton residents alarmed by plan to use toxic herbicide in neighbourhood park

Mallory Maloof holding the notice she received about the city's plan to test a toxic weed-killer in her neighbourhood park. (Keenan Sorokan / CTV News)

Residents in Saskatoon’s Brighton community are concerned about the city’s use of a toxic herbicide in a public park.

In May, city councillors unanimously approved a $65,000 pilot project to control a growing number of weeds in new neighbourhoods. Based on the number of complaints, a section of Prairie Lily Park in Brighton was chosen as the ideal location for one round of herbicide spraying, four courses of treatment and higher levels of irrigation.

Notices went out to residents living near the identified area last week. Mallory Maloof was one of them, and she was alarmed to see the city’s plan to use a toxic herbicide in such a public area.

“After two, three decades, why are we introducing this again?” Maloof said.

“We want to have more information and public engagement before this pilot project goes forward. Why do it in Brighton, which is a young neighbourhood with young children?”

According to the approval report, the city has not had an herbicide program in turf and sport fields since 1994. The use of herbicides to control turf weeds halted in 2004.

“The elimination of the chemical herbicide program was considered environmentally prudent and in line with the general direction taken by other major cities across Canada,” the report said.

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Maloof’s primary concern is the harm an herbicide spray could cause to not only the vegetation in the area, but pets and young children using the park every day in the summer. She says many people from outside the notified area likely don’t know this is happening, and there’s a daycare across the street.

She says Canada has been slow to ban or not approve several active ingredients in herbicides, compared to many other countries, and the city should be taking extra caution before spraying herbicide on city land.

“What does it mean for our tomato plants growing in our backyard? How long should we stay off our decks and keep ourselves safe? I think the city needs to engage with the public,” Maloof said.

City administration says herbicide will only be sprayed once at the start of the season and only when necessary, if more parks are included in the pilot, or part of a larger plan moving forward.

A similar approach was used in McKay Park in Rosewood with “relative success” when it was turned over to the city after it was built.

Chris Zerebeski, the city’s parks operations manager, says the city hasn’t identified which product it will use just yet, but it will likely be Trillion.

The Group 4 herbicide contains the chemical 2,4-D, which makes up 31 per cent of Trillion. In 2015, the World Health Organization said the chemical was “possibly carcinogenic” to humans. Dicamba, which makes up four per cent of Trillion, has been heavily restricted in a number of countries, including the United States.

Trillion’s label warns the product is toxic to birds, small animals and aquatic organisms and plants. It also warns of 17 potential symptoms if overexposed to 2,4-D, including coughing, burning, vomiting, decreased heart rate, shortness of breath, muscle spasms, loss of voice and temporary loss of muscle coordination.

“It’s not the first line of defense,” Zerebeski said. “The first line of defense is always the horticultural, cultural or mechanical methods that we use.”

Zerebeski said the city will put up signage at every entrance to the park displaying the name of the chosen product and when people can safely use the park again. He said an application like this will warn people to remain away from the park for 24 hours after the herbicide is sprayed.

He said the city has been in contact with the nearby daycare, and caution will be used to avoid the herbicide — which will be applied by a licensed professional — from being sprayed during a windy day, or near back fences or playground structures.

“We’ll be following the guidelines and also making sure the contractors work in accordance to the product guidelines, as well, and mitigating those concerns as best as we can,” he said.

“It’s a one-time application. It’s not a cyclical herbicide program.”

The city will be sending out a survey to gather data on what acceptable park conditions look like to residents. It will also ask about public perceptions of herbicide use, among other things related to weed control. The plan is to take the findings from the pilot project and survey to present another report to council.

“What does that mean for taxpayers and taxpayer dollars if we reopen up city-wide spraying?” Maloof said.

Work will continue on Prairie Lily Park this summer.