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DEGRADATION OF DEGRADATION OF PESTICIDES: PESTICIDES:

AN INVESTIGATIONAN INVESTIGATION

DIETER GEESINGCANADIAN COMPOSTING COUNCIL FORUM

NANAIMO, BC2013

WHAT ARE WHAT ARE PESTICIDES?PESTICIDES?

Pesticides are poisons. Point.Pesticides are poisons. Point.

BiomagnificationBiomagnification

Increase in concentration

of toxic products in

higher consumers in food chains

WHAT PESTICIDES ARE OUT THERE?WHAT PESTICIDES ARE OUT THERE?

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PESTICIDESPESTICIDES

Insecticide Herbicide Fungicide Other (Rodenticide,

Nematicide, etc.)• Organo-

chlorines • Organo-

phosphates • n-methyl

carbamates• Pyrethroids• DEET• Boric Acid• Fluorides• Nicotine • Arsenicals• Microbial• Growth

regulators

• Chlorophenoxy herbicides (e.g. 2-4D)

• Paraquat and diquat

• Etc, etc.

• Hexachloro-benzene

• Thiram • Maneb• Methylmercury

compounds• Pentachloro-

phenol and dinitrocresol (wood preservatives)

• Copper chromium arsenate

Pest Management Regulatory Agency

• Created in 1995,

• Branch of Health Canada

• Responsible for pesticide regulation in Canada

• Consolidates the resources and responsibilities for pest management regulation.

• Registers pesticides after a stringent, science-based evaluation that ensures any risks are acceptable;

• Re-evaluates the pesticides currently on the market on a 15-year cycle to ensure the products meet current scientific standards; and

• Promotes sustainable pest management.

Distribution of Pesticides in CanadaDistribution of Pesticides in Canada

Overall sale 2008: 87 522 435 kg a.i.

Pesticides Sold in Canada by Sector (2008)Pesticides Sold in Canada by Sector (2008)

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Organic Pollutants Banned in Canada Organic Pollutants Banned in Canada

Substance Management Action Chemical Type Function

Aldrin Registration Discontinued, 1990 Organochlorine Insecticide

Chlordane Registration Discontinued, 1998 Organochlorine Insecticide

DDT(+DDD+DDE) Registration Discontinued, 1985 Organochlorine Insecticide

Dieldrin Registration Discontinued, 1990 Organochlorine Insecticide

Endrin Registration Discontinued, 1990 Organochlorine Insecticide

Heptachlor Registration Discontinued, 1985 Organochlorine Insecticide

Hexachlorobenzene (HCB)

Registration Discontinued, 1976Chemical, Prohibited under CEPA1999 Organochlorine Fungicide

MirexPesticide, Never RegisteredChemical, Never Used in Canada, Prohibited under CEPA 1999

Organochloride Insecticide

Toxaphene Pesticide, Discontinued, 1982 Organochloride Insecticide

CANADA’S TOP TENCANADA’S TOP TEN

Active Ingredient Product Type

Glyphosphate Herbicide

Oil-borne heavy duty wood preservatives

Antimicrobial

Copper (Elemental) Antimicrobial/Fungicide

Sodium Hypochlorite Antimicrobial

2,4-D Herbicide

Mancozeb Fungicide

Chromic Acid Anti-Microbial

Glufosinate Ammonium Herbicide

MCPA Herbicide

Mineral Oil Insecticide, Herbicide, other

2008

Pesticides Sold in Canada: Domestic Sector (2008)Pesticides Sold in Canada: Domestic Sector (2008)

Total: 3,891 tonnes in 2008

CANADA’S TOP TEN (DOMESTIC SECTOR)CANADA’S TOP TEN (DOMESTIC SECTOR)

Ingredient Product Type

Calcium Hypochlorite Antimicrobial

Halobrom Antimicrobial

Trichlor Antimocrobial

POD Antimicrobial

Naphthalene Insecticide

ADBAC Antimicrobial

DEET Insecticide

Silicon Dioxide Insecticide

Carbaryl Insectide

Glyphosate Herbicide

2008

Pesticide use in BC (2003)Pesticide use in BC (2003)

ENKON Environmental LimitedFor Environment Canada and Ministry of Environment

4,666,709 kg

BC’s 40 Pesticide Use BylawsBC’s 40 Pesticide Use BylawsNorth Vancouver (City)

North Vancouver (District)

Oak Bay

Pitt Meadows

Port Alberni

Port Moody

Port Coquitlam

Qualicum Beach

Revelstoke

Richmond

Saanich

Salmon Arm

Sechelt

Surrey

Terrace

Tofino

Vancouver

Victoria

West Van

Whistler

White Rock

Burnaby

Comox

Coquitlam

Courtenay

Cumberland

Delta

Esquimalt

Fernie

Gibsons

Golden

Harrison Hot Springs

Invermere

Kamloops

Kelowna

Kimberley

Langley (City)

Maple Ridge

Nanaimo

Nelson

New Westminser

Example NanaimoExample Nanaimo

• Bylaw 2010 No 7102:– No person, owner or occupier of land shall use or

apply a pesticide or grant permission or authority to use or apply for the non-essential purpose of maintaining outdoor trees, shrubs, flowers, other ornamental plants or turf on Private or on Public Land

HOW DO PESTICIDES BEHAVE IN HOW DO PESTICIDES BEHAVE IN THE COMPOST ENVIRONMENT?THE COMPOST ENVIRONMENT?

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Fate of Pesticides in the EnvironmentFate of Pesticides in the Environment

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FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE PESTICIDE FATEFACTORS THAT INFLUENCE PESTICIDE FATE

PERSISTENCE PERSISTENCE AND MOBILITYAND MOBILITY

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ResearchResearch

Hegeberg et al. 1991 Miller et al. 1992

Michel et al. (1999)Michel et al. (1999)

Pesticide Concentration (ppm)

Fate of Pesticide (% conversion)

Initial Final CO2 Humics Volatiles

2,4 D 11 <0.1 48 49 <1

Atrazin 500 <10 7 52 Nd

Carbaryl 2 <0.1 4 95 -

Chlordane 100 - 4 5 50

Diazinon 100 - 2 39 22

Diazinon 10 <0.3 11 52 <0.5

Diazinon 9 <0.1 - - -

Pendimethalin 10 <0.1 13 72 25

Pendimethalin 7-40 <0.1 - - -

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Conclusion: Fate of Pesticides During CompostingConclusion: Fate of Pesticides During Composting

• Pesticides are present in compost feedstock and compost but in yard waste at a generally very low level. Exceptions can be DDT metabolites and chlordane

• Pesticides found were mostly organo-chlorines many of which are banned.

• More recently, chlopyralid and aminopyralid were detected in compost.

• In general, pesticides substantially degrade or even disappear during composting, often faster than in the soil. Exceptions are – Organochlorines are typically resistant to degradation– Aminopyralid and chlorpyrifos resitant to degradation

• CCA is a concern in wood waste

Dieter Geesing

Conclusion: Fate of Pesticides During CompostingConclusion: Fate of Pesticides During Composting

• Degradation mechanisms are:– Adsorption, leaching, abiotic and biotic conversion– Mineralization plays little role in the decomposition but

rather – Adsorption and humification– Degradation to secondary components and

metabolites• Degradation of pesticides occurs typically after at least

three weeks into composting • Alternating aerobic and anaerobic conditions fosters

degradation of organochlorines

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WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE SAFETY OF FRASER RICHMOND SOIL SAFETY OF FRASER RICHMOND SOIL AND FIBRE PRODUCTS?AND FIBRE PRODUCTS?

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HOW CLEAN IS OUR FEEDSTOCK?HOW CLEAN IS OUR FEEDSTOCK?

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CONTINUOUS QUALITY MONITORINGCONTINUOUS QUALITY MONITORING

QUALITY CRITERIA QUALITY CRITERIA ‘Trace Element Content’ ‘Trace Element Content’

SubstanceClass A

compost

Biosolids growing medium

Class B compost/ biosolids

Class A biosolids*

FRSF

mg/kg dry weight Average STD

Arsenic 13 13 75 75 7.7 2.0

Cadmium 3 1.5 20 20 0.5 0.1

Chromium 100 100 1,060 ? 20.8 5.5Cobalt 34 34 150 150 3.4 0.5Copper 400 150 2,200 ? 45.2 11.4Lead 150 150 500 100 27.4 20.2Mercury 2 0.8 15 5 < 0.05Molybdenum 5 5 20 20 1.4 0.5Nickel 62 62 180 180 12.3 2.3Selenium 2 2 14 14 < 0.5Zinc 500 150 1,850 1,850 130.3 24.0

Harvest Power Product Safety and Quality Control ProgramHarvest Power Product Safety and Quality Control Program

Dieter Geesing

ALTERNATING AEROBIC AND ANAEROBIC TREATMENT…ALTERNATING AEROBIC AND ANAEROBIC TREATMENT…

…….STRONGER DEGRADATION .STRONGER DEGRADATION OF PERSISTENT POLLUTANTS?OF PERSISTENT POLLUTANTS?

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTIONTHANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION