Question
QUESTION: I am doing a report on any ties for cancer and pesticides that are used specifically on the L.I. lawn.  I don't know what pesticides are used or which ones cause cancer but I think they probably do.  Do you know of any websites on this?

ANSWER: See the Turf Pesticides and Cancer Risk Database at Cornell University:

envirocancer.cornell.edu/turf/index.cfm

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi - I do not know which ones are L.I. lawns. I want to hand in proof that cancer is higher in people who work cutting lawns spraying trees country clubs that kind of thing. Do you have anything like that? Please help.

Answer
Try Cornell's web pages detailing New York State Regulations on pesticides, Title 6 of the NYS Code of Rules and Regulations (6 NYCRR) Parts 320-329:

pmep.cce.cornell.edu/facts-slides-self/core-tutorial/module02/index.html

and NYS Dept of Environmental Conservation:

www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/298.html

and a list of registered Pesticides in NYS:

www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/27354.html

Click on the pdf file to the right of the screen.  Note that regular homeowners are not allowed to buy (and therefore garden centeres and stores are not allowed to sell them) 'Restricted' pesticides; these would require a license, which you get by attending various classes on safety and ways to use them -- because they are the most dangerous chemicals and probably are linked to cancer.

Nationwide, apx half the country hires landscapers to do their lawn care.  The other half tries (or can't be bothered) to do it themselves.  That also means that the half who use hired help are also likely to be users of those Restricted pesticides.

Here's a detail you won't believe:  The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company has been caught breaking the law numerous times, New York included.

Back in 2002, the NYS Dept of Environmental Conservation (DEC) sued Scotts for selling 2 pesticides without permission.  One was a new recipe for their pesticide 'Grubex', which is used on Lawns to kill Japanese Beetle larvae ('grubs').  The new recipe contained the ingredient Halofenizide.  Long Island is VERY careful about contaminating the water because many people here drink it.

Carbaryl Carbaryl, an insecticide in Ortho Bug-Geta Plus, Bug-B-Gon Garden & Landscape Insect Killer Bug-B-Gon Lawn & Soil Insect Killer with Grub Control, is classified as a 'suspected carcinogen' among other things.

The same company has been refused permission to sell several pesticide products that you can sell in other states with looser laws.

You'll have fun with this.

Keep me posted.  And feel free to send more q's as you proceed.

THE LONG ISLAND GARDENER