| Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Re:H&F get it right - why can't Hounslow folllow | |
| Posted by: | Kathleen Healy | |
| Date/Time: | 07/09/23 13:06:00 |
| If we are eating food sprayed with Glyphosate, so it is in the urine of 80% of people, why are we nervous of spraying it on paths on roads? Guy, you may recall, that when the council issued a press release saying that the EU had banned Glyphosate I emailed copying you in and pointing out that that was incorrect. The error was acknowledged, but when I suggested that a clarifying press statement was issued, to avoid creating a misleading impression, that wasn't done. There are many environmental challenges and funding challenges for Local Authorities. Our best hope of addressing them and enhancing parks for bio diversity and beauty is on the basis of science and evidence. The HSE is the government advisor on Health & Safety it advises using Glyphosate on paths to prevent trip hazards. If council's go against this advice and people are injured, where does that leave the council? A fall for an elderly person can be an ultimately fatal expereince. The ban wasn't thought through. There is no alternative to kill perennial weeds that isn't hugely and unfeasibly labour intensive. If removing perennial weeds from between paving, you'd have to lift the paving stones. I beleive part of the rationale was that a company would invest to develop a new "safe" weedkiller. Why would anyone do that? Glyphosate is 60 years old and there isn't evidence that it is a risk to people or animals, if used as advised. Any new weedkiller, would be a "chemical" and would have the added risk of being new and untested over a long period. If just calling something a chemical is enough to get it banned without evidence, why would any company risk the R&D to develop something? What is being proposed as "safe" alternatives are strong acestic acid solutions, whih are a chemical and a risk to health as they burn skin and eyes and can cause lung inflamation, or hot steam, which is also a burns risk. Neither will kill perennial weeds. |