More GolfDom

Although I've posted a bunch of Larry Aylward's articles in the past, he keeps putting out great reviews of our industry's relationship with the environment. Here's the latest batch:

Mining for Molecules
If you were a chemical company that manufactures pesticides for the golf course maintenance industry, how would you approach these tumultuous times?

Rounds for Research
Carolinas GCSA program will auction golf rounds to benefit turfgrass research. This is the definition of a win-win situation.

The World of Water to Come
What will golf course irrigation look like in 2025?

Keep it up Larry.

Best Management Practices

Created by The Alabama Department of Environmental Management, with help from Auburn University and financial assistance from the EPA, this two part video series discusses the Best Management Practices on golf courses. It's a great overview, basic, but informative.

ONTARIO COSMETIC PESTICIDE BAN

Click above graph to see source.

Canadian municipalities have been banning the use of Cosmetic Pesticides for a number of years, now Ontario has officially stepped in and will be making it a provincial law.

“We have fulfilled our commitment to ban the sale and use of cosmetic pesticides in Ontario. I'm proud to say that, when the ban takes effect on Earth Day, we will have eliminated this unnecessary risk to our environment, our families, and especially our children.” – John Gerretsen, Minister of the Environment

I've been reporting on the possibility, numerous drafts and responses of the Ontario Cosmetic Pesticide Ban since I started this blog, now the McGuinty Government has released the regulations and I've got mixed impressions.

I'll be covering this issue a lot over the next week, this first entry will review the facts of the legislation as it relates to golf courses. I've added some comments and clarification in green. I've tried to remain unbiased, but I couldn't help myself at some points.

Just a side note, I'm a very passionate environmentalist but I get the impression that some of the features in this legislation are not about protecting the environment and I'm afraid that they will cause some confusion amongst the public, you'll see which ones I mean.

Ontario Regulation 63/09

Golf courses, accreditation by integrated pest management body

18. (1) If a pesticide mentioned in section 16 is used in relation to a golf course, the owner or operator of the golf course must ensure that the golf course is accredited by an integrated pest management body that has been approved by the director for the purposes of this section.

According to section 16, Class 9 pesticides include this list here.

Although the regulations do not mention the name or details of the "integrated pest management body", it is safe to assume they are referring to the IPM Accreditation Program developed by the IPM-PHC Council of Ontario. It is not mentioned what, if any, changes will be made to the program other than those mentioned in the Annual Report, see Section 19 (scroll down).


(2) Subject to subsection (3), the owner or operator of a golf course is exempt from subsection (1) until the later of the following dates:
1. April 22, 2012.
2. The second anniversary of the first day pesticides are used on the golf course.

For example if I'm the superintendent of GoForeTheGreen Golf Club and I do not apply a Class 9 product until July 18th of 2010, then I will not have to fulfill the requirements under this regulation until July the 18th of 2012. Or, if my golf club does not open until 2020 and I first apply pesticides on June 30th of 2020, then I must be accredited by June 30th of 2022.


(3) Subsection (2) applies if the golf course is registered by an integrated pest management body mentioned in subsection (1) before the later of the following dates and the registration is maintained:
1. April 22, 2010.
2. The first day pesticides are used on the golf course.

Meaning, get IPM Accredited by April 22 of 2010 or else you cannot use the Class 9 products until you are IPM accredited.


(4) If the owner or operator of a golf course has taken steps to meet the condition set out in subsection (3) and the Director is of the opinion that meeting that condition would cause undue hardship to the owner or operator of the golf course, the Director may, in writing, specify a later date by which the golf course must be registered by an integrated pest management body mentioned in subsection (1) for the purposes of subsection (3).

If your late, you've got to kiss some ass before being allowed to use the Class 9 products. Ha! I'm pretty sure they won't be handing many of these out.


(5) For the purposes of this section and sections 19, 20 and 21, the operator of a golf course is a person who is responsible for managing or supervising the golf course and includes a golf course superintendent or manager.

This is where I find it a little confusing and I'll be trying to get some clarification. Read the above one more time, doesn't it seem like they are referring to an employee? However, section 19.4.6 refers to "the golf course’s integrated pest management agent or another person approved in writing by the integrated pest management body for the purposes of this section". So that means that there may be some exceptions, but I can't find more details on that.

For details on the current Pesticide Applicators License go here.


Golf courses, annual report

19. (1) The owner or operator of a golf course on which a pesticide mentioned in section 16 is used shall ensure that an annual report is prepared in accordance with this section.

(2) The annual report mentioned in subsection (1) shall cover the period from January 1 to December 31 in a year in which a pesticide mentioned in section 16 is used on the golf course and shall be prepared before June 30 in the following year.

So my 2010 records must be submitted by June 30th 2011. FYI, you'll notice down in Section 20, subsection 7 it notes that subsection 1, referring to the public meetings, does not apply until January 1, 2012. So I think it means that I must turn in my 2012 records by June 30th 2013, but I must first show them to the public by December 1st 2012.


(3) The annual report mentioned in subsection (1) shall be prepared in a form approved by the Director.

This format? More than likely will be released through the IPM Council.


(4) The annual report mentioned in subsection (1) shall set out the following information with respect to the use of Class 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 pesticides on the golf course:

1. The name of each pesticide ingredient contained in the pesticides used and the reasons for the use of pesticides containing those ingredients.

For example:
Product: Compass
Active Ingredient: Trifloxystrobn
Pest: Brown Patch


2. The quantity in kilograms of each pesticide ingredient used.

Total Product Used: 905 grams
Total Active Ingredient: .18 oz


3. If an annual report was prepared previously, an explanation of any differences between the information provided under paragraphs 1 and 2 and the information provided under those paragraphs in the most recently prepared annual report.

4. A map or plan of the golf course showing all application areas.

This is new, but a fantastic feature that will help staff monitor hot spots in the future. I've been doing these maps for years, overlapping them with the local watershed, soil types, habitat zones, buffer zones, and water quality monitoring sites.


5. An explanation of how maintaining accreditation by the integrated pest management body minimized the use of the pesticide ingredients on the golf course and how it will minimize the use during the year in which the report is prepared.

Self explanatory - not sure if the program itself will really accomplish what they are setting out to do here, let's keep in mind that superintendents have been doing this kind of work for years. Don't forget a golf course must recover the cost of products they use, while landscape companies (who are not exempt) make more money. This is one point I hope the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario keep in mind as they continue to lobby the government to not exempt golf courses from the ban. I hope they give our industry a fair chance to demonstrate and prove our commitment to the environment. In fact, if they are interested, I could walk them through it.


6. The name, contact information, registration number and signature of the golf course’s integrated pest management agent or another person approved in writing by the integrated pest management body for the purposes of this section.

Employee? Or contractor?


7. Confirmation by the owner or a representative of the owner of the golf course that the report is complete.

8. Any other information that, in the opinion of the Director, is relevant to the use of pesticides and with respect to which the Director has notified the owner or operator of the golf course.

Does this mean that the director can request even more information than what golf courses are already providing?


(5) Subsection (1) does not apply until January 1, 2010.


Golf courses, public inspection of annual report

20. (1) The owner or operator of a golf course on which a pesticide mentioned in section 16 is used shall ensure that, on an annual basis, the annual report mentioned in subsection 19 (1) is made available for inspection by members of the public in accordance with the following rules:

1. The annual report shall be made available for inspection before December 1 in the year in which it is required to be prepared.

Should this read "The annual report shall be made available for inspection before December 1 in the season prior in which it is required to be prepared"? I ask because in section 19.2 it reads "The annual report mentioned in subsection (1) shall cover the period from January 1 to December 31 in a year in which a pesticide mentioned in section 16 is used on the golf course and shall be prepared before June 30 in the following year."

You'll notice down in subsection 7 it notes that subsection 1 does not apply until January 1, 2012. So I think it means that I must turn in my 2012 records by June 30th 2013, but I must first show them to the public by December 1st 2012.


2. Not later than 15 days before the annual report is made available for inspection, the report shall be prepared and clauses (6) (a) and (c) shall have been complied with.

FYI, Clauses 6A and 6C were not part of the IPM Accreditation Program previously. See them below.


3. Not later than 15 days before the annual report is made available for inspection, i. notice shall be published in a newspaper having general circulation in the area where the golf course is located, setting out,

A. the name and address of the golf course,

B. the name and telephone number of the owner or a representative of the owner of the golf course, and

C. the date on which and the time and place at which the annual report will be available for inspection, and
ii. subject to subsection (2), a copy of the notice shall be given to the occupants of each property that abuts or is within 100 metres of the golf course.

So if the annual report must be available for inspection by the public before December 1st 2010, then I must place an ad in a local newspaper declaring the information in A, B and C (above) by November 15th, because I must present it by the end of the month. I guess this means that as soon as the snow mold /winter application is down, irrigation system is blown out, the greens have been covered, and the whole operations of the club has been laid to bed, the superintendent/agent must compile all of this information in to an easy to understand presentation and hold a public meeting.


4. A copy of the notice mentioned in sub paragraph 3 i shall be kept by the owner or operator for a period of at least two years after its publication.

Makes sense. These reports will be good to refer to from year to year.


(2) For the purpose of clause 38 (1) (c) of the Act, if more than 50 persons must be notified in order to meet the requirement in sub paragraph 3 ii of subsection (1) and the Director is satisfied that it would be unduly onerous to give notice in accordance with clause 38 (1) (a) or (b) of the Act or Ontario Regulation 228/07 (Service of Documents) made under the Act, the notice is sufficiently given if it is given in a manner approved by the Director.

I'll have to dive into this later, but I think it basically means that if you are a downtown course and you could potentially have thousands of people show up, the Director will allow for a lesser means of notice.


(3) In approving a manner of giving notice under subsection (2), the Director may specify that the manner of giving notice is sufficient for the purpose of subsequent inspections of annual reports as long as there is no change in the circumstances relevant to the Director’s approval.

Basically, if the director approves it once, they'll know that the same should go in the future.


(4) The owner or operator of the golf course or a representative of the owner or operator of the golf course shall notify the Director of any changes in the circumstances referred to in subsection (3).20

(5) For a period of at least five years after an annual report mentioned in subsection 19 (1) is prepared,

(a) if the property where the golf course is located has a building that is accessible to the public, a copy of the annual report shall be kept in the building and given, on request, free of charge to any person who presents himself or herself at the building;

So in the year 2017 I'm going to go to a friends wedding at a golf course in Ontario. In the clubhouse is a copy of the 2012 report that must be accessible to me "on request and free of charge". If I'm Joe Public, how am I going to understand such a report? If I see that area X was sprayed with XX gallons of Mecoprop Dicamba, what does this mean to me? I know that this legislation is meant to get rid of those who spray needlessly and help make pesticide applicators accountable, I just fail to see how this information is going to make any sense to Joe Public, no offense Joe.


(b) if the property where the golf course is located does not have a building that is accessible to the public, a copy of the annual report shall be kept in a building on the property to which members and guests of the golf course have access and shall be given, on request, free of charge to any person who has access to the building;

Same rebuttal as above.


(c) a copy of the annual report shall be given, on request, to a provincial officer or the Director immediately; and

(d) a copy of the annual report shall be given, on request, to any person free of charge within seven days after the request.

So I can call the club up one week before the wedding and it will be ready for me. Ha.


(6) A copy of the most recently prepared annual report mentioned in subsection 19 (1),

(a) shall be displayed in a prominent place in the building mentioned in clause (5) (a) or (b);


(b) shall be given to any person free of charge, if the person requests a copy during ordinary business hours at the building mentioned in clause (5) (a) or (b); and


(c) shall be posted on a website approved by the Director.

I'm pretty sure this is referring to just the hard data, nevertheless it's on a Ministry of the Environment website. This makes it easier for Joe Public to look it up and have no clue what he's looking at from the comfort of his own home. Ha.


(7) Subsection (1) does not apply until January 1, 2012.



Golf courses, public meeting

21. If an annual report is required to be made available for inspection by members of the public under section 20, the owner or operator of the golf course or a representative of the owner or operator must attend at the date, time and place of the inspection and present the annual report to the members of the public who are present.



So that's that. Stay tuned for more details and evaluation of the regulation.

Lend Your Ear - Pesticides and Democrats!

I'm often referring to Golfdom as a great source of industry information, they provide excellent articles that evaluate trends and technologies that affect our industry.

In the most recent Pod Cast Golfdom Editor in Chief Larry Aylward conducts an excellent interview with Neil Cleveland, Director of the US Green Business for Bayer Environmental Science. Some great insight from two guys with a lot of experience in a changing industry.

Gabcast! Pesticides and Democrats #1

Suzuki has provinces ear, now you do too!

As mentioned in previous posts, the David Suzuki Foundation recommended 9 chemicals to the list of Active Ingredients proposed by the province for the Ontario Pesticide Ban. The province just released the final draft (check out Class Nine) of the law which included all of the chemicals listed by the DSF.

The province does intend to exempt Golf Courses under the following conditions and circumstances:
• The golf course must be fully accredited in integrated pest management (IPM) within three (3) years after the golf course is registered by an approved IPM accreditation body.
• There is a requirement to prepare annual reports on pesticide use explaining how pesticides will be minimized the following year.
• The reports must be presented annually at public meetings.

What do you think?
Post comments below, but even more importantly send comments to the Ontario Government.
The proposal has been posted for a 45 day public review and comment period starting November 07, 2008. If you have any questions, or would like to submit your comments, please do so by December 22, 2008 to the individual listed below.

Robert Bilyea
Senior Policy Advisor
Ministry of the Environment
Integrated Environmental Planning Division
Strategic Policy Branch
135 St. Clair Avenue West
Floor 11
Toronto Ontario
M4V 1P5
Phone: (416) 314-5605
Fax: (416) 314-2976

More on the upcoming Ontario Pesticide Ban

In response to our recent post regarding the list of nine chemicals the David Suzuki Foundation feels should be included in the Ontario Pesticide Ban - F Portenier said...
"What is the prevalence of use of these pesticides in the Golfing Industry?"

I've decided to do a bit of research for F Portenier and provide the names of active ingredients listed by DSF by providing links to approved uses and products that they can be found in. As for which ones are used for golf? A licensed exterminator can spray a schedule 1-6 pesticide (look here for details), the most common of these chemicals on golf courses would be the Glyphosate products. It is important to note that the province of Ontario does expect to exempt golf courses from any "ban" through the use of an accreditation program. My understanding is that the province is working towards updating the IPM Acreditation Program, currently adminstered through Ridgetown College.

Click here to see which orgainizations/companies are IPM Acredited under the current program.

Okay, here are the chems:

Abamectin - Used to control insect and mite pests of a range of agronomic, fruit, vegetable and ornamental crops, and it is used by homeowners for control of fire ants. Abamectin is also used as a veterinary antihelmintic.
Uses Here, Here and Here
Products Here, Here and Here

Acetamiprid - Control of Sucking-Type Insects on Leafy Vegetables, Fruiting Vegetables, Cole Crops, Citrus Fruits, Pome Fruits, Grapes, Cotton, and Ornamental Plants and Flowers.
Uses Here, Here and Here
Products Here

Glufosinate Ammonium - The herbicide is a broad spectrum herbicide which is comparatively bio-degradeable similar to glyphosate.^[1] Glyphosate was first sold by Monsanto under the tradename Roundup, but is no longer under patent. It is sold under the brand names sold under trade names Basta, Buster and Liberty. Crops have been developed (genetically engineered) which are resistant to this herbicide through the insertion of the bar gene^[2] into plants.
Uses Here,and Here
Products Here and Here

Glyphosate Acid is a Herbicide found in products typically used at golf courses, forestry, agriculture and lawn care industry. Trade names for products containing glyphosate include Gallup, Landmaster, Pondmaster, Ranger, Roundup, Rodeo, and Touchdown. It may be used in formulations with other herbicides.
Uses Here, Here, and Here
Products Here, Here (must scroll down and find Glyphosate Acid on list)

Isopropylamine Salt of Glyphosate is a Herbicide found in products typically used at golf courses, lawn care industry, forestry and agriculture.
Products Here, Here, and Here
Uses Here , Here

Metam is a soil fumigant used as a pesticide, herbicide, and fungicide.
Products found Here, and Here
Uses found Here, Here and Here

Napropamide is a herbicide mostly used for agriculture. Trade names for products containing napropamide include Devrinol and R-7465. It may also be found in formulations with other pesticides such as monolinuron, nitralin, simazine, trifluralin, tefurthrin, and tebutam. It is compatible with many other herbicides and fungicides.
Products are found Here,
Uses are found Here, and Here

Thiram is a fungicide mostly used in Agriculture. Common names include thiram (U.S.), thiuram (Japan), and TMTD (former U.S.S.R.), TMT, and TMTDS. Trade names include AAtack, Arasan, Aules, Fermide 850, Fernasan, FMC 2070, Hexathir, Mercuram, Micropearls, Nomersan, Pomarsol, Puralin, Rezifilm, Rhodiasan Express, Spotrete, Tersan, Thiosan, Thiotex, Thiramad, Thirame, Thiuramin, Thirasan, Tirampa, Tiuramyl, TMTC, TMTD 50 Borches, Trametan, Tuads, and Tulisan.
Products containing Thiram can be found Here and Here
Uses Here and Here

THE NO SPRAY ZONE

nosprayzone.org is a fantastic site that aims to provide chemical free solutions to prevent Gypsy Moth outbreaks.
Here is some more info on Gypsy Moths.

Great Source of Info

Early spring photo of Heron Point Golf Club, near Hamilton, Ontario Canada

My goal with GO FORE THE GREEN is to provide as much information as possible about environmental issues facing the golf industry and to explore possible solutions. In order to keep myself in the loop I check as many news sources as I can. Science Daily reports on the latest science news and research from throughout the world and has collected a number of great articles on environmental issues facing golf. Check them out below:

Wildlife and Habitat Issues

Golfers and Golf Courses Benefit from Native Grasses in Rough

Golfers Beware! Deer Ticks Lurking in the Rough

Could Golf Courses Double as Wildlife Sanctuaries?

Pesticide Issues

Site of US Open Reducing Pesticides (Excellent Article)

Golfing Towards a Greener Environment

Purdue Golf Course Serves as Environmental Research Lab

Putting Doesn't Pollute - Research Finds

Better Golf Course Chemical Management with "KTURF" website
Website found here

Plants can make Golf Courses Better by Filtering Pesticides
We covered this issue in one of our own articles, find it here.

Inhalation of Golf Courses Pesticide Causes "Minimal Health Risk"

Scientists Battle Cold Weather Mold

Water Quality

Wetlands Clean Water and may Control Neigborhood Flooding Issues

Commercial Aquatic Plants offer Cost-Effective Method for Treating Waste Water

David Suzuki Foundation on Candian Pesticide Bans

The David Suzuki Foundation has a number of news releases and articles on the upcoming Ontario Pesticide ban, including a list of 9 chemicals that didn't make it to the original ban list. All articles can be found here.

Pat Jones on pesticides

Here, here and here (best article of them all) is the study Pat refers too.

Good Source of Information: Golfdom

I subscribe to a number of golf publications to keep up to date with industry advancements. I've cut my print subscriptions down throughout the years and instead sign up for a lot of web-based e-zines.

One of which is the Golfdom Insider. Golfdom is a great source of information for anyone who works in the golf industry, they aim to be an "upscale publication designed to fill the niche between the highly technical association journal and the newsy tabloids".

They cover a huge amount of environmental issues, here's a few links from their site:

Joe Hubbard - The Natural

ASGCA Issues Sustainable Development Guidelines

From Food Waste to Fertilizer

Solar Golf Cars

Audubon in Action

Turfgrass Trends (a number of links)

Environment Still Number 1 Concern For Golf

Podcasts : Biodeisel, Snow Mold (Mould for you Canadians), Syngenta Professional Products - Meridian insecticide

Videos: Fertilizer Prices, Golf and Environment,

The Wash Pad

The wash pad is not as simple as it may seem - they are much more than just a simple pressure washer. Grass clippings have been shown to carry traces of pesticides, fertilizers and hydrocarbons and numerous companies have developed products to properly catch, filter and dispose of these waste products. Here are a collection of articles that will help you understand all the ins and outs of the wash pad.

Golf Wash Pad - Article

Greens Department (Thornhill Golf and Country Club, Canada) - Article featuring ESD Waste 2 Water Product

Rehoboth Beach Country Club's Golf Course Wash Pad

Keeping it Clean - Constructing a wash pad facility

Wash Rack Blues - USGA

Evolving Equipment Washing Technology and What's in That Water - USGA

Wash Water Recycling

Waste Water Treatment - Product Information

EPSI USA - Product Information

The Water Maze - Product Information

Eco-Smart Plumber - Product Information

Florida Wash Blast Inc. - Movie and Product Information

EPA reconsiders ban on MSMA

The need to find lees harmful herbicides/weed controls have grown expediently in this decade alone. The market is demanding environmentally friendly pest management solutions out of a concern for the environment (water quality, non-target flora/fauna) and human health. Therefore we will see many older products go and newer products make their way into the market place.

There is a lot of green washing and confusion out there, by people on both sides of the argument to ban pesticides. Go Fore The Green wants to know what you think about this latest story from Golfdom Magazine. Green Wash? or Greener Solution? Check out the article from ES and T, it is pro-ban, but very good.

What would Mark Twain say about MSMA? That the rumors of the embattled herbicide's demise have been greatly exaggerated.

Golf turf expert Fred Yelverton, a professor of crop science at North Carolina State University, is saying the same thing. Yelverton, who spoke at the Warm-Season Weed Control Symposium sponsored by Bayer Environmental Science July 9-10 in Newport, R.I., reported that the Environmental Protection Agency might not ban MSMA after all.

MSMA, classified as an organic arsenical, is used for grass weed control in bermudagrass and zoysiagrass and on some cool-season turfgrasses. It is used for postemergence control of goosegrass, crabgrasses and dallisgrass in bermudagrass.

In 2006, EPA announced it would cancel reregistration of any pesticides containing MSMA. Arsenic levels left by MSMA "raise a concern for cancer risk," EPA officials concluded.

But nearly two years later, MSMA is still around.

"We thought EPA was going to ban it six months ago," Yelverton says, "but it has new life. What are the chances of keeping it? I would say 50-50. The final decision could be tomorrow, or it might be six months from now."

EPA is taking a second look at MSMA because the organization admits it acted too quickly to dismiss it.

"There are some people who believe the EPA was under political pressure to ban some products," Yelverton says. "Because MSMA was not used in many commodities, it was an easy target."

The EPA has agreed to take a second look at MSMA for two reasons, Yelverton says. First, it underestimated the need for MSMA, especially in the golf course industry. Second, EPA admits it might have overestimated the risk of organic arsenic and MSMA's contribution to environmental inorganic arsenic levels. Yelverton points out that organic arsenic is a naturally occurring element.

"You can find it anywhere," he says. "We're all exposed to it every day. It is added to chicken feed, for example. So when you eat chicken, you're exposed to it."

The problem is that people, including environmentalists, associate MSMA with inorganic arsenics, which are very toxic. "But organic arsenics are not," he adds.

Yelverton says there's a conversion rate between organic arsenicals to inorganic arsenic, but it is very low. He says the EPA has now realized this.

Yelverton points out that research shows MSMA has low mobility and strongly absorbs into soil.

"It doesn't leech into the ground water," he says. "From an environmental standpoint, it's safe."

Heres a video from the event



Okay, so thats one side, heres another from ES and T, they makes some undisputable points, give it a read.

Science News – February 9, 2005

Common Arsenical Pesticide under scrutiny

Golfers can thank monosodium methanearsonate (MSMA) for flawless, weed-free fairways, but experts are questioning whether the arsenic-containing pesticide is safe for the environment and human health. New research reveals that, despite industry claims, MSMA applied to golf courses with certain types of soil degrades to toxic inorganic arsenic, which leaches into groundwater. A separate study has documented that MSMA can move through wildlife food chains. The news comes as Canada and the United States are re-evaluating registrations for MSMA.

According to the U.S. EPA, MSMA “can reasonably be anticipated to cause cancer in humans” and is converted in the environment to inorganic arsenic, a known human carcinogen. About 4 million pounds of MSMA is applied every year to golf courses and cotton fields in the United States to control weeds. The pesticide has been banned in India and Indonesia.

Concerns about the fate and transport of MSMA led to a collaborative study between Yong Cai and his colleagues at Florida International University and George Snyder, John Cisar, and their colleagues at the University of Florida. They dosed an experimental golf green at the University of Florida with MSMA and monitored the soil and the water percolating through the soil. “Presumably due to microbial activity in the soil, MSMA was transformed to As(V), As(III), monomethylarsonic acid, and dimethylarsinic acid, with As(V) being the major form,” Snyder says. After 14 weeks, almost 20% of the arsenic in the MSMA percolated below the root zone of sandy soils in the form of inorganic arsenic, Cai says. The more clay there is in the soil, the more arsenic is retained, he notes. The study has been submitted to a peer-reviewed journal.

Some industry scientists have criticized Cai’s study, saying that the apparatus used to collect leachate promotes the growth of bacteria, which boost the transformation of MSMA beyond what would be expected in the soil. However, Cai and Snyder’s findings are corroborated by a Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) study that found contamination after examining 65 groundwater samples from 7 different golf courses where MSMA was legally applied (http://fdep.ifas.ufl.edu/msma.htm). Shallow monitoring wells revealed that 86% of the samples contained more than 10 micrograms of total arsenic per liter, which is the new groundwater standard in Florida. In areas with high water tables, just a single application of MSMA is likely to render the underlying groundwater out of compliance with the new standard, the study says.

FDEP has recommended restricting the use of MSMA in vulnerable areas with sandy soils and high water tables. Florida’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) has asked companies that sell MSMA in the state to conduct further field tests, says Dennis Howard, chief of the bureau of pesticides at FDACS. Representatives from these companies have maintained that MSMA is quickly adsorbed into soil and not easily released, he says.

Meanwhile, in Canada, the permit to inject pine trees with MSMA to curb outbreaks of mountain pine beetles has expired, and the manufacturer, United Agri Products Canada, Inc., has withdrawn MSMA from the Canadian market. Agencies are also evaluating work from the Canadian Wildlife Service, which shows that woodpeckers feeding on bark beetles in treated trees had 4–7 times the level of arsenic in their blood than species that don’t feed on the beetles.

Although organic forms of arsenic were once thought to be less toxic than inorganic arsenic, new research on the metabolism and toxicity of both organic and inorganic arsenic has changed that view, says Mirek Styblo, biochemical toxicologist at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He says that human cells metabolize As(V) to As(III) and trivalent methylated forms—monomethylarsonous acid and dimethylarsinous acid. He and others have shown that all the trivalent forms, including methylated ones, are genotoxic and more toxic than the corresponding pentavalent forms.

“But we’re lacking data on the chronic toxicity of methylated arsenicals, including the trivalent and pentavalent forms,” Styblo says. “If [Snyder and Cai] have really shown that MSMA is demethylated, that is very important because it means that arsenic could end up in drinking water,” he warns.

MSMA does not cause cancer in animal studies and is safe if used properly, says Barbara Beck, director of health sciences at Gradient Corp., a consulting firm. If it is ingested, 95% is converted in the gut to monomethylarsonic acid, which is rapidly excreted, and the remainder is metabolized to dimethylarsinic acid, she adds.

Is artificial turf still the lesser of the two evils?

Artificial Turf companies tell us that their product is an environmentally friendly one because there is no need for pesticides. Although true, what is the point of replacing a growing surface with a fake one if it too is potentially hazardous?

Taken from the Center for Disease Control and Preventions website (www.cdc.gov)

Recent tests by the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services (NJDHSS) of artificial turf playing fields in that state have found these fields contain potentially unhealthy levels of lead dust. The initial tests were conducted on a limited number of playing fields. NJDHSS sampling of additional athletic fields and other related commercial products indicates that artificial turf made of nylon or nylon/polyethylene blend fibers contains levels of lead that pose a potential public health concern. Tests of artificial turf fields made with only polyethylene fibers showed that these fields contained very low levels of lead.

Information provided by NJDHSS to CDC and ATSDR indicates that some of the fields with elevated lead in either dust and/or turf fiber samples were weathered and visibly dusty. Fields that are old, that are used frequently, and that are exposed to the weather break down into dust as the turf fibers are worn or demonstrate progressive signs of weathering, including fibers that are abraded, faded or broken. These factors should be considered when evaluating the potential for harmful lead exposures from a given field.

The risk for harmful lead exposure is low from new fields with elevated lead levels in their turf fibers because the turf fibers are still intact and the lead is unlikely to be available for harmful exposures to occur. As the turf ages and weathers, lead is released in dust that could then be ingested or inhaled, and the risk for harmful exposure increases. If exposures do occur, CDC currently does not know how much lead the body will absorb; however, if enough lead is absorbed, it can cause neurological development symptoms (e.g. deficits in IQ). Additional tests are being performed by NJDHSS to help us better understand the absorption of lead from these products.

Pasture Golf

Images of the Dubai Classic and the Masters at Augusta raise golfers aesthetic expectations to levels barely attainable. Fast rolling greens, lush fairways, blue ponds and sculpted white sand bunkers cost money, mostly because they are highly resource intensive. But not all golfers are as demanding as the pros, enter Pasture Golf.

Modern golf courses bear little resemblance to the links style of their ancestral roots. Many people are starting to share the view with www.pasturegolf.com that "the prolific use of fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, refrigerated greens (you think we're kidding, don't you?)" are actually hurting the game, and potentially threatening the environment.

The Pasture Golf website outlines the locations and individuality of many courses that meet their strict expectations. I was surprised to find out how many are located near me.

Due to the strong natural character of these courses they have unique house rules, some of these include:

Smedberg Pines Golf Course in Pollock Pines, California - Bear shit counts as a "loose impediment". The house may be considered a "hazard". Don't spend more than 5 minutes looking for any one ball. Beware of cars on #4 and #12. Read yardages on every hole, it's a short course. See nothing, feel nothing and be the ball.

Ernie Holzemer's Four Hole Pasture Golf Course in Amidon, North Dakota, has it's own particular rules:
No Golf Carts Rule - It would cut playing time down to five minutes.

Badger Rule - "If a badger steals your ball, don't mess with the badger."

Gopher Rule - "If a gopher steals your ball, it's legal to retrieve it from the gopher hole."

7-Iron Rule - "Use your 7-iron to kill rattlesnakes."

Alaskan Golf Courses are no different:

The Raven Rule - Muskeg Meadows Golf Course, Wrangell, Alaska
If a raven steals your ball, you may replace it with no penalty, if you have a witness to the theft.

The Critter Rule - Birch Ridge Golf Course, Soldotna, Alaska
Please allow moose and other wild critters to play through!

The Bear Rule - Bear Valley Golf Course, Kodiak, Alaska
Bears have the right to play through.

Relief from Moose Tracks - Mt. Fairweather Golf Course
Take relief from moose tracks.

Free Drop - North Star Golf Club, Fairbanks, Alaska
If raven or fox steals ball, take free drop at theft location.