Clopyralid use on courses protected in Calif. and Wash.

Golf Course News, Jun 2002 by Overbeck, Andrew

INDIANAPOLIS - In response to the California Department of Pesticide Regulations' (CDPR) decision to cancel certain uses of clopyralid-containing herbicides, Dow AgroSciences and Riverdale Chemical Co. have notified the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency of changes to product labels that will prohibit clopyralid's future use on California residential lawns.

The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) enacted a similar ban on clopyralid earlier this year. Both bans were prompted by reports that trace levels of the long-- lasting herbicide were found in compost. The issue is especially important in California where many communities promote the recycling of grass clippings. While Dow AgroSciences' clopyralid herbicides have label restrictions on composting grass clippings treated with the product, it decided to prohibit home lawn use in order to head off a full-scale ban.

According to Dow AgroSciences spokesman Gary Hamlin, clopyralid products (Lontrel and Confront) can still be applied by golf courses in both states.

"The CDPR was focused on the residential use of clopyralid because a vast majority of golf courses don't compost clippings off site," said Hamlin. "In Washington state, they have also decided to exempt golf courses from the ban. However there is still some legislation pending in California."

The California Golf Course Superintendents Association (CGCSA) is currently lobbying the state assembly to protect golf course use. According to Jim Husting, the association's government relations chairman and superintendent at Woodbridge (Calif.) Golf and Country Club, bill AB 2356 has been significantly watered down since its introduction and will probably not threaten golf courses.

"We took our lead from Washington state [on the clopyralid ban]. They rallied first and gave us a bookmark on where to start," Husting said. "The language of the bill has been amended and many of the clopyralid references have been removed. We have made the case that golf courses do not compost grass clippings, so it looks like we will still be able to use the product."

While clopyralid use in California and Washington appears secure for now, Hamlin said superintendents should heed the label. "If superintendents are using clopyralid and sending clippings off site or are composting clippings on site, they need to be aware of the label restrictions," he said.