For those of you who think that you only spray weeds with ‘Safe’ stuff like Round up (also sold as Zero), have a read of the article at the link below. Have a think about asking your local council about what they are spraying around playgrounds, parks and road verges in your municipality:

http://permaculture.org.au/2011/07/01/greenpeace-takes-on-monsanto-over-pesticides-arms-race/

There are concerns about spraying Glyphosate (Round up/ Zero) around childcare centres as there is evidence that there are several problems with Glyphosate and also with the surfactant (detergent) it contains to break through the leaf surface. The concerns range from death of frogs and tadpoles to birth defects.

A different problem is that many councils are “tank-mixing’: putting two or more chemicals into the one sprayer to increase efficiency. This new mix of chemicals can produce untested new chemicals.

You can ask to see the MSDS (material safety data sheet) which council workers or contractors are required to carry and provide.

Glyphosate is supposed to breakdown within 24 – 48 hours but this does not occur when it is sprayed onto hard surfaces such as concrete gutters and edging and playground equipment, as there is no biological activity to do the breaking-down.

A seminal book about pesticide use is ‘Silent Spring’ by Rachel Carson, very easy to read.

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