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A continued and passionate push for the outright ban of glyphosate – a herbicide – in Guernsey has once again failed to generate support in the States.
While Deputy David De Lisle’s Requete, signed by seven deputies – including De Lisle - was met with sympathy and understanding, the unintended consequences of a potential ban led to a lack of support from every States’ committee and the majority of the house.
Glyphosate is the active ingredient in several weedkillers and is a carcinogenic. It has been discovered in various local water sources and was banned for use by the public last year, however, it can still be used by licenced professionals in the island.
Deputy De Lisle has been passionately fighting to get rid of glyphosate completely for several years: “The deception made by the manufacturer is that the product dissipates,” he said during this week’s debate. “This is deception; why is it in our drinking water? It is affecting our health, our precious wildlife, our environment... the fact remains that there is no safe amount of glyphosate. It bio-accumulates in the soil.”
His latest Requete had two propositions, one asking the Assembly to agree that the States should work towards eradicating glyphosate in the island, and a second proposition more specifically asking that it be banned outright by the end of the year.
Pictured: Deputy De Lisle has been pushing for a complete ban for years.
Prior to debate every States’ committee announced – via a letter published by Policy & Resources – that they could not support a ban. The reasons why were reiterated during a lengthy debate in the chamber.
The president of the Committee for Economic Development, Deputy Neil Inder, applauded Deputy De Lisle for the Requete’s intention, but said he could not support it.
“Glyphosate is being used, the fields of guernsey are going white, our potatoes are being sprayed – Deputy De Lisle is right, they say it’ll dissipate, but if it does, why is it in the vale pond...?” he began.
“I can’t [however] vote for the Requete... because I can't risk the whole island in its international trade agreements,” he said, citing the Bailiwick’s potential inability to comply with agreements it has made internationally since glyphosate is not subject to similar prohibitions in either the UK or the EU.
The president of Environment & Infrastructure, Deputy Lyndsay de Sausmarez, spoke at length about the Requete and why her Committee couldn’t support it.
“The Committee is very sympathetic to the underlying aim,” she said. “We are already, and have been for some time, working towards a more holistic goal of reducing the use of all pesticides – and that is the key point - one of the biggest issues the Committee has with this Requete is that it only focuses on glyphosate,” indicating that banning it could open the door to other more dangerous chemicals being used.
It was a point that was stressed multiple times throughout debate, that getting rid of glyphosate could force people to use alternatives. It was said that nine out of 10 other herbicides will pose more danger to humans if used.
The president of the Committee for Health & Social Care, Deputy Al Brouard said Public Health would “wish to see an appraisal of the alternative products, with assurances that they are less harmful” before his Committee could support an immediate ban.
Proposition one lost 23 – 10 with two abstentions and proposition two lost 25 – 7 with three abstentions. Five deputies were absent for both votes.
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