The Unsettled —and Unsettling—Science of Lawn Chemicals

For people with yards, keeping grass lush can often feel like a full-time job: planting, treating, mowing, bug-killing, watering—and repeating. Because of the many products and services this entails, the lawn and garden care industry raked in $16.8 billion globally in 2020, according to analytics firm Allied Market Research. But the roots of lawn care are more sinister than a bright lawn might suggest. Fertilizer grew in popularity after World War II, when the factories that made vast quantities of nitrogen for bombs diverted that production capacity toward agriculture. Around the same time, the insecticide DDT—which writer and conservationist Rachel Carson famously called out for its detrimental environmental and health impacts in her book Silent Spring—also made its way into everyday use. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] Since then, pesticides and other lawn treatments have evolved, with newer, safer products. Yet much of what people apply in backyards today still contains potentially harmful chemicals. These toxicants have been linked to cancer and other maladies in people and pets. Nutrient runoff from yards can also have adverse impacts on the environment. Here’s what experts say people should do to keep their grass, and themselves, healthy—including some chemicals to consider using with caution, or avoiding altogether. What are the different types of lawn treatments? People can apply a number of different products to their lawns...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Evergreen freelance healthscienceclimate Public Health Source Type: news