GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post

04-09-2003, 07:02 PM

wrote in
:

(Chet Hayes) wrote:
"Peter H" wrote in message
le.rogers.com...
"silven" wrote in message
...
My brother recently moved into a new house in the country and has
noticed his neighbor spraying something on his lawn. The
chemical has left a strong smell that still exists even after 10
days. It has rainned twice during the 10 days. The chemical has
killed some red bushes and alot of the vegitation that is in a
ditch near the house.

When my brother approach the neighbor and asked him what he was
spraying the guy basically brushed him off and said it was
something that he would have to get use. He also mentionned that
it was a chemical that you could buy in any story but would not
give him the name and said that he threw
the
container away.

My brother is a little worried since he has a 9 month old little
daughter.

You can still smell this stuff today from a distance of 200 feet.

Can anyone tell me if this normal? What should my brother do if
it is not normal?

Thanks for any info

I'm not sure what that chemical would be. To still be smelling it
10 days later, after 2 rainfalls and at a distance of 200 ft. is
unusual to say the least. If I were your brother I'd make another
attempt at asking the neighbour what the product was and mention
the young child.

It is not uncommon for homeowners to greatly overdo pesticide
applications with the attitude that if an ounce will do the job
then 6 ounces will do it even better.

Generally speaking it is the insecticides that have the most
significant odour and some of them are the most toxic as well.

You may want to suggest having your brother contact one of the lawn
spraying companies in the area and have them come out and try to
identify the smell. That would be a start at least.

Peter H

If this was applied to a lawn and killed bushes and vegetation in a
ditch, then it sounds like a broadleaf weed killer.

If you can't get it identified and it really smells that strong long
after application, I would call the local health department and have
them come and check it out.

Good point. Also, some have used petroleum products such as diesel
fuel, kerosene, and even gasoline as vegetation controls. If it's
either of the first two, the smell could linger for a long while.

Hi everyone thanks for all your responses. He decided to get the health
department involved since the neighbor would not tell him anything. The
guy did say that turpentine was an ingredient or he had been mixing it with
turpentine.

Thanks