Liverpool Council to trial alternative weed killer to Roundup
Liverpool Council will trial an organic weed killer next month but said it continued to follow the advice of the country’s leading regulator that controversial product Roundup was safe for use.
Liverpool
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Liverpool Council will trial an organic weed killer next month as it explores alternative options to Roundup, which has been mired in controversy over the potential link between its main ingredient — glyphosate — and cancer.
The council’s chief executive Kiersten Fishburn said it continued to follow advice from the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority that Roundup was safe for use in Australia.
The herbicide is used by council staff on gardens, footpath cracks, playground areas, road gutters, parks and fence lines across the region.
“All staff using Roundup wear appropriate protective equipment and council’s Work Health and Safety Team has not identified any incidents relating to the use of Roundup in the LGA,” Ms Fishburn said.
“However, council is exploring alternative options for weed control.”
Some Sydney councils have already moved away from the product, including Fairfield and Georges River councils.
Blacktown Council is trialling organic weedkillers after more than 500 council staff walked off the job earlier this month over concerns about Roundup.
In the United States, Bayer — which acquired Roundup producer Monsanto in 2018 — has been ordered to pay millions in damages to four cancer patients who claimed their exposure to the product caused their cancers.
Bayer denies the claims and says leading health regulators have confirmed glyphosate-based herbicides can be used safely.
The company is appealing the decisions.
Signe Westerberg, convener of Fairfield-Liverpool Greens, welcomed Liverpool Council’s decision to trial an organic alternative.
Ms Westerberg said it was “long overdue” and she would like to see it “banned altogether”.
She said if there were doubts about the product, its use should cease immediately.
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