A newly released poll conducted by Oraclepoll Research for an environmentalist group on pesticide use indicates 60.7 per cent of Orangeville homeowners would likely stop using cosmetic pesticides if they could keep their lawns free of weeds without them, and 70.4 per cent would support a phaseout of cosmetic pesticides in public parks.

The survey, conducted between March 15 and 24, used a sample of 500, and the margin of error is said to be plus or minus 4.4 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) commissioned the survey.

Persons surveyed were all over the age of 18. The initial calls were placed randomly between 6 and 9 p.m., and callbacks for those that did not answer were staggered on a daily rotating basis between 10 a.m. and 9 p.m.

Some of the questions asked included these:

"Have you used pesticides on your home lawn or garden in the past year?" According to the executive summary of the poll, only 37.1 per cent of respondents had; 60.6 per cent had not, and 2.3 per cent didn't know.

On the question, "If you were provided with information on methods to have a weed-free lawn and garden without using cosmetic pesticides, what would be the likelihood that you would stop using them?" Of those, 13.7 per cent said cessation would be unlikely. But 60.7 per cent said "totally likely," 21.3 per cent were neutral, and 4.4 per cent didn't know.

On community use, 28.6 per cent would oppose "a phaseout of cosmetic pesticides use on private residential property," but 62 per cent would support, and 9.4 per cent didn't know. When that questions was posed with respect to public parks, only 22 per cent would oppose a phase-out, 70.4 per cent would support, and 7.6 per cent were undecided.