CityActstoControlWeedsonSportsFields

BackgroundInformation
June16,2017

CurrentAnalysis

ManyCityofEdmontonsportsfieldshaveexperiencedsignificantreestablishmentofdandelions
andotherbroadleafweedssincetheCitystoppedtheroutineuseofconventionalherbicidesin
June2015.Seedsdepositedeachyearhavetakenroot,andhealthygrowingconditionsthisyear
meanthatthenumberofweedsisexceedingthestandardlevelsinCitypolicy.

Councilhasestablishedpolicydirection:manageherbicideuse(bymotion),andmaintainfields
withinacertainstandard(PolicyC501).TheCityisnowtakingactiontoensurefieldconditions
meetthestandardsoutlinedinpolicy.

Action

TheCitywillassessall1,465sportsfields,andapplytwoapplicationsofaherbicide,ironchelate,
whereneeded.Thisproductisoneofthelowestriskoptionsavailable,andwillbeappliedina
waytobothmaximizeeffectivenessandminimizeexposure.Inaddition,theCitywilldotargeted
aeration,topdressing,overseedingandfertilizationwhereneeded.Theadditionalworkwill
ensurethatweedregrowthisminimized.

Ironisametallicchemicalelementthatactsasaselectiveherbicidewhenchelated.Ironactsto
reducetheoxygenintakeinanumberofbroadleafplantspecies,whichcausestheplanttodie
rapidly.Itdoesnotaffectgrass,althoughmightturnsomeofthegrassadarkergreencolour.
Whentheweedistreated,ironoxideintheplantcausesittoturnblackoradarkredblackcolour.
Whilethismaybeunsightly,itisnotunsafe.

Ironchelatedoesnotleaveahazardouschemicalresidueonthefields,driesquickly,hasno
unpleasantodourand,asindicatedbyHealthCanada,isoflowtoxicityandposesminimal
environmentalrisks.Peopleandpetsshouldavoidexposureduringapplicationanduntilthefields
aredry(between30minutesand3hours,dependingontheweather).Aftertheproducthas
dried,regularuseofthefieldscansafelycontinue.TheCitywillensurethatsignageisinplace
before,during,andafterapplication.

Background(Operations)

TheCitymaintains4,100hectaresofturf,whichistheareaofapproximately7,000CFLfootball
fields.About11percentofthattotal,nearly450hectares,ishometoover1400sportsfields.

Thisyear,theCitywillspendjustover$7.5milliononmowingandtrimminggrass.Whilewewill
redeployexistingstaffandequipmenttoensurethisworkproceeds,theadditionalcostofthis

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CityActstoControlWeedsonSportsFields
BackgroundInformation
June16,2017

applicationisabout$750,000forthetwotreatments,whichwillbeabsorbedwithinexisting
budgets.Theaveragecostoftheproductpertreatmentperfieldisabout$250.Ifwewereto
applythetreatmenttoroadsidesandparks,theprojectcouldcostasmuchas$10million.

Background(Policies)

InJune2015,CouncilpassedamotionontheplannedeliminationoftheuseofherbicidesonCity
ofEdmontonpubliclands.

ThattheCityofEdmontonstopusingherbicidesonitsownlands,exceptwheretheyareusedto
eradicatenoxiousweedsasdefinedbytheprovincialnoxiousweedlist,andthefollowingareas
andissues:
1.topreventsanitarysewerpipeobstruction
2.tocontrolofalgalbloomsonstormwaterfacilities
3.inthemaintenanceofhighprofileandhighqualityparkandfacilities:
A.Golfcourses
B.Bowlinggreens
C.Sportsfieldssuchasstaffedathleticfacilities,PremierSportsFieldsandSports
FieldsinDistrictParks
D.Cemeteryburialplots
E.Areas/parksinvolvinghighprofileandinternationalevents(includingbutnotlimited
to,CityHall,ChurchillSquare,LouiseMcKinneyParkandHawrelakPark)
4.incommercialagricultureandhorticulturecropproduction(ie.MuttartConservatory,Old
ManCreekNursery)
5.tocontrolweedsforfiresafetymanagementanddrainagealongLRTraillinesandto
controlplantsandtreesfromstructurallydeterioratinghardsurfaces(e.g.concrete,asphalt
gravel,etc.)and
6.toallowlowriskherbicides(e.g.aceticacid,citricacid,herbicidalsoap,corngluten,iron
chelate,andvariousbioherbicidesreferredtoasreducedriskherbicidesbyHealth
Canada.

InFebruary2004,CityPolicyC501(IntegratedPestManagement)wasadopted.Itoutlinesweed
controlstandards.

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CityActstoControlWeedsonSportsFields
BackgroundInformation
June16,2017

TypeofCityowned Numberofmowing Weedlevelatwhich Target

land cutsperseason treatmentactionis
taken

Premiumparkland 18 >3weeds/sqmetre Highqualityturf

Schoolgrounds/ 12 >6weeds/sqmetre Goodqualityturf

neighborhoodparks
(incl.soccerfields)

Roadways,walkways, 710 >10weeds/sqmetre Goodqualityground

utilityrightofways cover

Undeveloped Goodqualityground
cover

Links

CouncilMotiononHerbicide.Motion6.8atCityCouncil,June23,2015.
CityPolicyC501:IntegratedPestManagement
Ironbasedherbicides(UniversityofMaryland)
HealthCanadaRegistrationDecisionaboutironbasedFeHEDTA.
Productinformation