The Grass Doctor

how can I avoid being exposed to lawn care chemicals?

I like to walk, run, and bike around my neighborhood, but the people in my neighborhood (lazy, uninformed fools) constantly apply toxic lawn-care chemicals to their lawns, almost on a weekly basis, and as a result I am constantly exposed to toxic and even carcinogenic fumes and vapors. What can I do? I don't have a car, so I am quite simply forced to walk or bike. Should I buy a gas mask? thanks okay, be sarcastic if you wish, but if you use lawn-care chemicals, or if your neighbors use it, know that it WILL make you sick or even kill you!

Public Comments

1. Defo buy a gas mask. xD
2. Most "toxic chemicals" are safe when used according to label. More harm is done from psychological self-torture than direct contact with a pesticide. Ease up on your neighbors, and yourself. You'll be much healthier.
3. If you do not come into physical contact with the chemicals, you will be okay. IF you walk/ride by on a windy day during the spraying, then a surgical mask should suffice. If you still have other concerns, go talk to a pulmonologist about ways of protection.
4. Running by a lawn will not be much exposure, unless they're spraying at the moment, and there is drift. The dangerous exposures are to children and dogs who regularly play on treated lawns. They both have higher leukemia rates than those who live without those chemicals in their grass. I would not fuss about running by a treated lawn. But you can choose not to use them yourself, and educate yourself about the affects. Not being alarmist will help you educate people. If you seriously try to convince them that by simply living in a neighborhood with treated lawns will kill you, you will lose a lot of credibility. About 90 percent of the country lives in those conditions, and we're not dropping like flies. But yes, they DO have an affect on people and animals that have direct contact with the lawn, and there are runoff implications. Five Reasons Not To Use Weed and Feed: http://www.beyondpesticides.org/pesticidefreelawns/resources/weed%20and%20feed%20factsheet.pdf
5. The fumes day after didn't seem to bother us or our child, but he broke out in a rash after playing in a neighbors chemically fuel lawn. We just have him not play there. Never had issues with chems out side of the spray area. Sorry.
6. I would hate to have neighbors like that, but you should research a little around your neighborhood to see what kind of lawn-care chemicals they are using; ask each to see the bottle/bag and read safety instructions to be safe. If the chemicals bother your breathing, arrange a deal with the neighbor(s) to spray them chemicals at a time where it is most convenient for them and for you when you don't walk/bike. Else, wear a mask for the problem areas. Hope this helps!