Total Landscape Care Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/183921
chemical care BY CINDY RATCLIFF How the rules have changed for aquatic weed herbicides A lready rigorously regulated by the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), aquatic herbicide application gained a whole new level of scrutiny when, in 2009, it was wrapped into the Clean Water Act, as well. Since November 2011, applicators who use these herbicides to control weeds in or around water have been required to apply for a special permit each year to do so, adding an extra layer to their business. Karen Reardon, vice president of public affairs for Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment (RISE), and RISE are working to change what many see as duplicative regulation. "We have been working hard for the past two (congressional) sessions to pass something at the federal level that speciļ¬es that these regulations are not necessary," Reardon says. "We have been looking at legislative remedies for this." So far, attempts have been unsuccessful. "We O C T O B E R 2013 TLC1013_ChemCare.indd 39 TotalLa nd s ca p e C a re . c o m 39 9/25/13 1:24 PM