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e Clopyralid and Composting What is clopyralid? leachate. Organics make up 30%of Oregon's Clopyralid is a broadleaf herbicide manufactured waste stream. In 2001,about 420,000 tons were by Dow AgroSciences.This active ingredient composted at 35 DEQ-permitted compost may be found in several pesticide products. facilities.The compost industry has grown Common names may include Confront,Stinger, dramatically over the past nine years.In addition, State of Oregon Millennium and Curtail.This active ingredient is more than 20 jurisdictions are collecting yard Department of designed to kill broadleaf weeds such as clover, debris curbside and thousands of backyard bins Environmental thistle and dandelion.Products containing have been distributed to residents.Grass treated Quality, clopyralid may also be used on hay,wheat,turf, with products containing clopyralid may end up mint,Christmas trees,oats,and barley. in home compost bins or in curbside yard debris Land Quality Division collection containers. solid Waste Program Problems with clopyralid in compost sit SW 6&Meow CI lid is ve slow[o break down durrin the Besides reducing landfill waste,compost's Portland,OR 97204 ry g P Phone: (503)229-6738 compostmR Drocess. opyra r may damage benefits include improving soil structure, (800)452-4011 sensitive plants suc alas tans peas reducing the use of fertilizers and pesticides, Fits: (503)229-6977 lantparsley,potatces,petunias,pansies, reducing erosion and conserving water. concoct sunflowers and other T ta at an extre�w Martine R iate.o Pilton What role does governmentplay? ww.deq.stafe.or.us con These p ants are m the legume 9 and nightshade families.There is no evidence The Oregon Department of Environmental that clopyralid barns other gardening plants Quality(DEQ)regulates the composting including lawns and shrubs.See Dow process by issuing permits for composting ArgroScience plant list at: facilities.DEQ does not regulate the final http://www.deq.state.or.us/wmc/solwmte/splant.htrnl compost product. Metro licenses facilities in their region and Clopyralid concerns first surfaced in eastern offers the Earth Wise certification program.The Washington in 2000 when growers in Spokane program determines plant growth parameters and and Pullman experienced crop damage that was has not traditionally tested for clopyralid. later traced to clopyralid.It was believed that in The Oregon Department of Agriculture the Spokane case,the source of the clopyralid (ODA)regulates the sale,use and distribution of residue was a product called"Confront," pesticide products in Oregon. manufactured by Dow AgroSciences.At The U.S.Environmental Protection Agency Washington State University clopyralid was (EPA)registers the active ingredients for sale, discovered in the materials composted use and distribution in the U.S. (feedstock)and the finished compost.The university traced the contamination to residues DEQ,ODA,EPA,the compost industry and the from the use of clopyralid.in grass hay and strew product registrant Dow are currently evaluating purchased off campus.Other states have also the potential impact of clopyralid-containing reported similar concerns. products. What is the potential problem in Oregon? Public response to this problem That is not clear yet.The two most likely sources In June 2001,DEQ and the composting industry of clopyralid in feedstocks used for composting sent letters to EPA's Region 10 (Northwest) are grass coming from property that has been office and ODA(which registers pesticide managed by lawn maintenance companies and products for sales use and distribution in manure and animal bedding.Livestock that have Oregon)expressing concern about the potential consumed feedstock treated with clopyralid may impact clopyralid could have on composting. release the herbicide in their urine,which then ends up in manure and bedding. At the same time DEQ sent a letter to all DEQ- permitted compost facility operators,alerting Clopyralid is not a new product.It may be them to the problem and encouraging them to showing up because composting has expanded. conduct bioassays.The bioassay germination test At the same time,there's been an increase in uses a mix of compost and soil to grow sensitive clopyralid use by lawn maintenance companies. plants and can usually be done on site by the What is DEQ's interest? facility operators. It is important that Oregonians reduce organic The DEQ Clopyralid Task Force is working with material going into landfills.Organics break composters,ODA,Metro and local governments Last Updated:6/03/02 down quickly and create methane gas and to determine if clopyralid is a problem in the By:Martine Roberts-Pillon state.A study is being designed to offer