When April 4 rolls around and a new bylaw kicks in, Nanaimo gardeners will no longer be able to use certain chemicals to keep gardens and front yards weed-free, but the pesticides will still be available on retail shelves.

Because of provincial guidelines and restrictions, customers are banned from using the products but shops are still able to sell them.

This might create some confusion for homeowners and gardeners, says the owner of one lawn-care company in Nanaimo. Blake Howe, owner of Bumblebee Lawn Care, says although the city has spent the past year educating residents about the impending rule changes, many of his customers aren't informed.

Nanaimo joins 28 communities in B.C. and more than 154 municipalities across Canada with cosmetic pesticide bylaws. The New Pesticide Use Bylaw was adopted April 26 so the city has had a year to prepare for the changes.

The bylaw was suggested originally by the Canadian Cancer Society in June 2008 to decrease the risk of cancer by those exposed to synthetic chemical pesticides. It will also limit the negative environmental effect caused by runoff into rivers and wetlands.

As a complaint-based bylaw it is up to individuals to ensure they are adhering to the new rules. Fines for those who don't comply are between $250 and $10,000.

The city has provided a website filled with pesticide-related information and will continue to hold information sessions, which will be updated on the website, said Nanaimo environmental planner Rob Lawrence. The bylaw doesn't include all chemical pesticides and there are exemptions to the rules as well. Generally, the city is encouraging alternate methods of gardening to keep the weeds away, such as preventative and environmentally friendly techniques.

"I hope they continue to do more education because lots of people don't know about the ban," said Howe. "They still don't know about what they can use and what they can't."

Kris Holman, store manager of Green Thumb Garden Centre, said the products will be on the shelves but they'll do what they can to educate people about the restrictions. She said there's no way to know why they are buying the banned products.

As someone who was using the now-banned chemicals to make a living with lawn care, Howe has had to make major changes to his business during the past year. Switching to non-banned pesticides has been costly but he's in favour of the switch.

"I'm not closing the doors on Bumblebee Lawn Care as I once thought I might be, partly because there are new products," said Howe. For more information, visit www.nanaimo.ca/goto/pesticidefree.

Permitted pesticides:

» Acetic acid (vinegar); biological agents such as Bt (Bacillus Thuringiensis) and nematodes; borax; corn gluten meal; diatomaceous earth (silicon dioxide); fatty acids; ferric or ferrous phosphates; soaps; mineral oil (dormant or horticultural oil); pyrethrum or pyrethrins; sulphur (lime sulphur and other sulphur compounds)

Not permitted:

» 2,4-D (herbicide used in weed and feed type products); Diacamba (herbicide used in weed-control products); Mecoprop (MCPP) herbicide used in weed control; Glyphosate (herbicide broad spectrum); Malathion insecticide; Carbaryl (insecticide and plant growth regulator)

The term cosmetic pesticide refers to chemicals that are used for controlling plants and insects in lawns and gardens to enhance their appearance for nonessential reasons. All herbicides, insecticides and fungicides are included in the definition of pesticides.

jsquires@nanaimodailynews.com