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States Works will no longer be using weedkillers with glyphosate from January next year - however, it remains a popular product on sale in our garden centres.
A decision to use alternatives was made earlier this year. It followed a 2015 report by the World Health Organisation suggesting glyphosate is a human carcinogenic, States Works decided to err on the side of caution with its use.
“States Works are on track,” said Mark Torode, Senior Manager at States Works, “routine use of glyphosate will cease by 2021.”
The EU will be reviewing whether to re-issue licences for glyphosate in 2023, so the decision also benefits States Works by making sure they’re prepared for any changes.
Pictured: "People have found the weedkiller that works for them and stuck to it", said the retail manager at RH Gaudion.
An ‘integrated system’ will now see alternatives used to tackle weeds:
Acetic acid (vinegar)
Pelargonic acid
Heated water and foam
Mechanical intervention
Root wave electric wand
Glyphosate will however continue to be sold in local stores. Until a decision on its licence is made, the use of glyphosate in products like Roundup remains legal.
“We stock half a dozen organic alternatives,” said Retail Manager at RH Gaudion, Chris Padgham, “but the trend is still to purchase the glyphosate while it’s still there because it’s tried and tested – while the others are not as effective.”
Mr Padgham stressed that if properly used, products with glyphosate pose no immediate threat to health.
“If it’s used as per the dosage on the bottle then it’s perfectly safe, it’s when people abuse the dosage it becomes nasty.”
Pictured: States Works will be using the same PPE when using organic alternatives.
States Works use weedkillers on an industrial scale, so the runoff and environmental impact could be deemed much higher than the average homeowner.
The public ethos seems to remain the same. “People will use it until there’s a tried and tested alternative,” concluded Mr Padgham.
Pictured top: Glyphosate is applied directly on the leaves of plants.
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