title: Sustainability, health and precautionary perspectives on lawn pesticides, and alternatives.
abstract: This article considers health concerns associated with lawn pesticide use and potential policy actions to address those concerns. We first briefly present the generations of pesticide technology, and then apply a sustainability lens to consider the dissipative use of persistent compounds. We enumerate uncertainties in available science and gaps in toxicity testing of pesticides, along with potential for exposure and evidence of harm from lawn pesticide exposure. We consider how a precautionary approach complements a sustainability perspective and detailed scientific findings, and then briefly present practical approaches to reducing use of lawn pesticides. Finally, we highlight factors pivotal for successful policy to limit lawn pesticide use.
authors.affiliation: Department of Operations & Information Management, University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Business, 975 University Ave., Madison, WI, 53706, USA. mthernke@wisc.edu
authors.forename: Michael T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Hernke
authors.forename: Rian J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Podein
mesh_terms: D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000592:standards; D051639:Gardening / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D055772:Green Chemistry Technology / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D010575:Pesticides / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000592:standards; D006109:Poaceae; D018570:Risk Assessment; D018675:Toxicity Tests; D035501:Uncertainty
chemical_list: D010575:Pesticides