THE CORPORATION OF THE CHY OF PORT COQUITLAM

MEMORANDUM

Mayor and Council

P.E. Peters, P. Eng. ,.
City Engineer

Use of Pesticides for Parks Maintenance

Council. has zequested a report-on the use of pesticides by
the Parks Department and, although I do not Claim to be an expert
in horticulture or chemistry, I will attempt to set out my general
views on the consequences of eliminating the use of all pesticides.

To begin, I would like to point out that the use of chemicals
in City parks can be divided into three different categories as
follows: for cosmetic purposes, to. eliminate nuisances, and for
the preservation of City facilities. tf will discuss each of these
categories separately.

Cosmetic

Under this heading would come the use of herbicides for
the purpose of controlling weeds in Flowernmeas or in controlling
the growth of vegetation close to buiidings or Playground equipment.
Herbicides used in this cateyory inciude Gramuoxone, Round up, and
Casaron. Elimination of the use of these chomicals would not
result in any serious nuisance or damaqe to property But will
result in unsightly conditions around the City unless alternative

measures are adopted.

Alternative ways of dealing with the weed prcblems in this
category would be hand picking of weeds in flowerbeds ox the use
of weed eaters around buildings, tree trunks, and playground equip-
ment. The extra manpower required to do this weeding by hand would
Pxobably be about two men for a good part of the year at a cost of
approximately $30,000. .

Nuisance
ee NES

Pesticides in this category are used to control problems
which create a nuisance for others. Examples would be control of
wasps or control of thistles along the dyke which blow secds onto
farm land making it less productive. Chemicals which fall into
this category would include Hyvar, Round up, Raid.