Taranaki councils have no plans to stop using herbicide Roundup
Monday, 13 August 2018
Three Taranaki councils have made no decision to stop using controversial herbicide, glyphosate to control broad leafed weeds in public areas.
The herbicide, known commercially as Roundup, is used by Taranaki Regional Council, and New Plymouth, and South Taranaki District Council's although the amounts sprayed had been reduced by up to 60 per cent in the last seven years.
Taranaki Regional Council regional gardens manager Greg Rine said in a written statement the council aimed to use sustainable horticulture best practice to maintain a high standard of presentation at its three regional gardens - Pukeiti, Hollards and Tupare.
The council used a number of gardening techniques to control weeds including mulching, intensive planting, manual weeding, soil rejuvenation as well as glyphosate in areas where it was the most effective option, Rine said.
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The council only used approved herbicides and pesticides, and followed the manufacturer's recommendations when glyphosate was used, at a rate of 10millilitres/litre.
The application per square metre depended on the density of weeds in the area being sprayed, he said.
The overall use of herbicides and pesticides has been steadily reduced by council at the three public gardens.
At Hollard Gardens, South Taranaki, for example the amount of pesticide used in 2017 was only 20 per cent of the volume used in 2011, Rine said.
South Taranaki District Council community services group manager Fiona Greenhill said in a written statement glyphosate was used by STDC, and its contractors in low doses and strength to control weeds on the roadside, kerbside, and in public parks and gardens.
Between 2011 and 2016 the use of glyphosate to control roadside weeds was reduced by council by 60 per cent.
In 2016 the council had reviewed its use of weed control by chemical spraying.
'At this time glyphosate was, and continued to be, the most economical and effective method to control weeds,' she said.
All staff who use the chemical have 'Growsafe Certification', are supervised by an approved handler, and are required to wear personal protective equipment.
New Plymouth District Council infrastructure manager David Langford said the council used glyphosate to control weeds in parks, and on the roads.
'Our policy has strict procedures around its safe use,' he said in a written statement.
The application rate varied according to the conditions and council always followed the manufacturer's instructions on safe use and concentrations, he said.
The council's use of glyphosate had not changed over the last 10 years, and it had no concerns so long as they were handled in accordance with manufacturer's instructions and appropriate safety measures were in place.
Glyphosate was an effective method to kills the roots of weeds and prevent regrowth.
There are alternative methods which include organic weed killers, and using mulch to curb weed growth but these are less effective, he said.
Associate Environment Minister Eugenie Sage had asked the Environmental Protection Agency to consider adding Roundup to a list of hazardous substances the agency was reassessing.
The minister's reaction followed the awarding of NZ$440m by a United States court to a groundkeeper who alleged he contracted non-Hodgkin's lymphoma from using the herbicide at work.
Manufacturers Monsanto plan to appeal the ruling.