By JONATHON HOWARD
NOOSA Council has sought to ease concerns over the spraying of herbicides around Lake Weyba, which one resident claims is damaging the fragile ecosystem.
The resident, who did not want to be named, lives next to Lake Weyba and recently noticed council employees spraying grass “haphazardly” near the lake.
“As this grass is within a few metres of Weyba Creek and Lake Weyba, I became concerned with the poison being easily washed into the lake which is a natural habitat breeding ground for 75 per cent of the fish which end up in the ocean,” she said.
“The long grass can easily be mowed and doesn’t need to be poisoned at all – why can’t council staff simply slash the grass and avoid the use of chemicals altogether?”
The resident said a Noosa Council representative had visited her to hear her concerns.
“He told me that council “had to use Roundup” to kill the grass near the lake,” she said.
“He had no knowledge of the toxic nature of Roundup poison.”
The concerned resident has since researched the use of Roundup, which she is claiming is the same chemical used by agriculture giant Monsanto and was used in Agent Orange to defoliate Vietnam.
“It is also sprayed on food crops, edible oils and animal feed,” she said.
But the most shocking find, according to the resident, was Roundup’s links to neurological impairment, autism, cancer, Alzheimer, Parkinson’s disease and many behaviour problems and learning difficulties in children.
“The figures for autism in the US where Roundup is used freely and also GMO containing similar chemicals, have seen the cases of autism – 1 in 10,000 in 1981 increased to 1 in 68 in 2014,” she said.
Noosa Council Park Leader, Kerrie-Ann Milsted, said council’s Roundup (active constituent glyphosate) is a widely used and regarded as being a “safe herbicide”.
“All council parks staff and contractors use this chemical to control weeds and will continue to do so as it is still considered to be a safe and effective chemical when used according to label instructions.
“Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) reviewed glyphosate products in 1996 because of evidence that it may have been toxic to aquatic life.
“The research determined that the toxicity was due to the surfactants in the formulations. The use of glyphosate was then prohibited on or near waterways. Since then new formulations have been developed that can now be used in or adjacent to waterways.
“The APVMA currently has no evidence before it suggesting that glyphosate products registered in Australia and used according to label instructions present any unacceptable risks to human health, or the environment – until evidence emerges to the contrary council will continue to use it.”
Have your say: Do you think council should abandon herbicide spraying? Give us your comments or feedback by emailing: newsdesk@noosatoday.net.au
