If a product is missing it is not intentional we aim to include all relevant products. We have also not restricted assessments to commercially manufactured products and have included alternative mostly non-chemical approaches. Products available in other countries are not included since, elsewhere, they mostly differ in names and ingredients. Comprehensiveness and inclusiveness – We aim to include all chemical garden products available in Australia for non-agricultural use.Independence and objectivity – No preference to any products or for any manufacturer is given.Where little or no information about a product or ingredient is available this is indicated in WiseGardening. However, sometimes this information is unavailable due to commercial considerations and sometimes due to out of date or incomplete information. Accuracy – This means that assessments are systematic and based on robust scientific research from reputable sources.(See Our Ratings and Assessment Process ) To this end, WiseGardening uses publicly available information from many sources. Transparency – We aim to augment the availability of information that manufacturers provide about their garden products.In order to minimise these risks we all need to know what they are. So knowing which product to select, when faced with a plethora of ‘plantastic products’ in the local garden centre, or knowing if we should still use old products with stained labels stored in our garden sheds, can be very daunting. Aquatic species as well as fish – if the chemicals can be washed through the soil winding up in streams and other waterways they may harm not only fish, but also other aquatic organisms.Species that visit or live in our gardens – birds, bees, fish, worms, frogs and a range of mammals, such as pets, especially if the chemicals persist in the soil.
Users if they come into contact with the product or breathe in vapours – some products are quite toxic.The broad community which uses chemical garden products has a right to know risks associated with their use. Endorse, or condemn any product, manufacturer, brand or supplier.Provide comment on product effectiveness in achieving its purpose, or.WiseGardening aims to provide, in one place, easily accessible, evidence-based information about potential risks of associated products and their ingredients or alternatives to solve particular garden problems.īy using WiseGardening to help make your gardening decisions you are contributing to increasing social and environmental sustainability. However, when consumers buy products they may not consult these sources in-store to compare products and may not even read or understand the advice provided before using the products.
Manufacturers alert users to these risks on their product labels, instructions for use and Safety Data Sheets.
However, there are times when a chemical product is a necessary choice.Īs you might expect, since these products are termed pesticides and weedicides where the suffix “icide” means “kill”, many chemical products, as well as killing their targets, carry risks to users and other species on our amazing planet – even when they are used very carefully. SGA promotes natural, non-chemical methods to prevent and treat pest, disease and weed problems as the first line of defence. WiseGardening has been developed to help all of us achieve more international sustainable development goals through reducing some of the impacts that our society has had on the planet. Similar guides are available for specific areas overseas, such as Europe or the USA ( but these are not tailored for products and formulations used in Australia. It also presents alternative non-chemical approaches to address them. Using publicly available scientific information from university and government sources, WiseGardening assesses then rates over 850 garden chemical products commercially available in Australia that have been manufactured to deal with these problems. This Australia-first guide, WiseGardening, is designed to enable you to make informed decisions about how you address garden problems i.e. What principles underpin our ratings of garden chemical products for their risks and safety?Īre there other better choices for controlling garden pests and disease? Read on for Answers Its Purpose WiseGardening aims to help you make informed choices about chemical products to address garden pests, weeds and disease and have low risk to humans and environment.