A contractor will be putting liquid herbicide into the harbour launch and yacht club basins today to kill underwater plants in the area.
According to Collingwood’s parks manager Wendy Martin, this is an annual treatment to deal with the invasive weed called Eurasian Milfoil.
The herbicide being used this year (the same as last year) is called Reward, which is manufactured by Syngenta Canada and a company called Veseris holds the formula.
According to Jon Froese, director of the environmental sciences division for Veseris, Reward is ionically charged and is attracted to green organic material as soon as it is sprayed in the water.
It breaks down quickly, according to Froese, and the chemical is absorbed by the leaf’s cuticle then it prevents photosynthesis and the plant breaks down and dies.
Martin and Froese say the Reward application will not harm fish because it is being applied in a small area of a large body of water.
The Collingwood Yacht Club partners with the town for this annual application. The weeds will catch on boat rudders and prevent steering mechanisms from working properly. The herbicide will be applied in both the Yacht Club basin and the town’s launch basin in the harbour.
The contractor putting the liquid herbicide into the water is Green Stream. Martin said the contractor has a permit from the Ministry of the Environment.
Martin said the herbicide will not be applied near a drinking water intake. The town is advising the water in the treatment area should not be used for human consumption for five days after the application and the town advises no animal consumption or swimming for 24 hours.
“We don’t encourage swimming in the yacht club basin or launch basin at any time,” said Martin.
The rowing club has also been advised of the herbicide application happening today.
According to Froese, swimming in Georgian Bay at a distance from the application site will not expose swimmers to any harm from Reward.
The Veseris website (pestweb.ca) states Reward is formulated for aquatic use, and is ideal for lakes, ponds, and farm dugouts.
The site states the chemical “quickly becomes biologically inactive,” and again warns users to wait one day before swimming and five days before drinking the treated water.
The chemical information states it is not harmful to fish, birds, livestock, or wildlife.
The product label for Reward states it is for the control of weeds such as Coontail, Duckweed, Canada Water Weed, Pondweeds, Water Milfoil, Water Soldier, Water Chestnut, and Flowering Rush.
The label also states the product must be applied (diluted at a 1:4 ratio with water) only after weeds are visible and in an active state of growth, which is dependent on water temperatures.
The warnings on the concentrated formula suggest it is harmful or fatal if swallowed, and harmful if inhaled. The undiluted formula can also cause eye injury and skin irritation.
