The Scotts Miracle - Gro Company produce several product intended for use as turf forage fertilizers and for pot control . Turf Builder , Turf Builder with Halts Crabgrass Preventer and Turf Builder WinterGuard Plus 2 Weed Control are used to further flying grass growth and weed restraint . The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency withdraw Turf Builder Pre / Post2 in 2008 because of false labeling . These product have come under scrutiny by consumer advocacy grouping that range product for their potential environmental impairment .

Rating Agencies

The City of Austin , Texas put out rating of commonly used home pesticide and garden products . Their ratings organization was developed by Texas A&M University ’s Pesticide Education Program and the Washington Toxics Coalition . The system lists Scotts Turf Builder Halt and Winterguard as herbicide because their dynamic ingredients kill smoke . Manufacturers are not required to list inert , or inactive , ingredients on the label , because they consider them trade secrets .

Active and Inert Ingredients

The Environmental Protection Agency expect manufacturers to lean the percentage of the active ingredient that destroy , prevent or repel pests or weeds . Manufacturers typically add inert ingredients to facilitate storage , handling , applications programme or effectuality of the product . These chemicals can " contribute substantially to the chance of the ware " and " some are more toxic than the participating ingredient , " according to the Austin report .

Toxicity Ratings

Scotts Turf Builder Halts and WinterGuard Plus are both rated moderately toxic or a moderate cutis or eye irritant , with the signal word " carefulness . " The perniciousness rating for peril to angle and other aquatic lifespan is also eminent for both Halts and WinterGuard . While Halts is slenderly toxic to birds , bees and dearie , WinterGuard is non - toxic to these species . The chemical group does not value Scotts Turf Builder fertilizer without pot orca as a toxic herbicide . Its high nitrogen grade may glow grass and circumvent cosmetic plants , however .

Persistence and Mobility

The amount of time a toxic product stays in soil is its " environmental perseverance . " " Soil mobility " refers to soil binding and the half - aliveness of the chemical in the land . The Austin study rated persistence in the environs as highly toxic for Halts and reasonably toxic for WinterGuard . Although ScottsTurf Builder Halts has low soil mobility , the group rated WinterGuard Plus dangerous for its gamey soil mobility .

Prevention/Solution

Gardeners can avoid many problems with toxic chemical exposure by practise organic gardening and observe natural planting habits , according to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center , which recommends using local aboriginal plants and sens whenever possible . " When we pursue in all - out chemical warfare against pests and works diseases , we also go the peril of harm ourselves and the environment in the summons , " according to the Johnson Center pedagogy grouping , YardWise .

References

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