Kelowna residents who wish to be informed when pesticide spraying occurs close to their homes are asked to register with the City of Kelowna’s Pesticide Notification Registry before March 15.
“Since certified applicants are still able to apply chemical pesticides, we want to make sure residents have the option of knowing when spraying is taking place in their area,” said Environmental Coordinator, Corey Davis. “This is a valuable service for those who want to minimize their exposure to pesticides.”
Residents must sign up each year for the registry to be kept accurate and up to date. Those included in the 2013 registry must register again if they wish to be included in this year’s notification program.
The city’s pesticide bylaw came into effect Jan. 1, 2009 and it restricts the use of cosmetic pesticides by homeowners on residential properties. Pesticide applicators who are provincially certified can apply to be exempt from the bylaw.
Registrants are notified by commercial spray operators on the day before or the same day as the pesticide is applied to abutting residential properties. The registry notification does not cover pesticide application on agricultural properties.
Residents can register online at kelowna.ca/environment, by providing their name, street address, postal code, phone number, email address, preference for same-day or day-before notification and reasons for registering.
Alternately, residents can register by calling the Commercial Pesticide Notification Registry Hotline at 250-469-8556, faxing 250-862-3314 or mailing applications to the City of Kelowna Development Services, 1435 Water Street Kelowna, B.C., V1Y 1J4.
For more information, to register online or to inquire about Pesticide Free educational items, visit www.kelowna.ca/environment.
The Commercial Pesticide Notification Registry was established in 2004 for Kelowna residents who wish to be informed when commercial spray operations are occurring on abutting residential properties.
All registrants are asked to supply a reason for notification (for example windows are kept open, children or pets are in the yard). If the spray operators know the reason for notification they will watch for the applicable conditions; if those conditions exist and the operator is unable to reach the registrant, spraying should not occur.
Pesticide Regulation Bylaw No. 9920 took effect January 1, 2009. The bylaw regulates the use of cosmetic pesticides on residential property.
Exemptions from this bylaw include certified pesticide applicators, “exempted” pesticides such as acetic acid, dormant oil, safer soap, gardens, backyard fruit tree, pests that transmit human diseases and noxious weeds and noxious insects.
