Despite glyphosate’s extremely low toxicity profile, it is so widely used that it is has been identified for monitoring in water at both EU and UK level
There is a very practical and cost effective way to address this issue, using the knowledge that run-off from spot treatment on hard surfaces is just 3% of an overall treatment. The answer is to apply Roundup as a spot treatment, either manually with handheld equipment by eye, or using some of the more sophisticated infra-red weed detection units which turn on only when plant material is detected. This has the further benefit of reducing the amount of herbicide used, demonstrating minimum pesticide use as well as reducing the cost. Mixing glyphosate with residual herbicides on hard surfaces has been a popular option in the past, but residual herbicides are even more likely to appear in water than glyphosate and, since the loss of diuron, this choice will soon be gone on all hard surfaces except railway ballast. Spot treatment of glyphosate is an obvious choice to keep herbicide costs down. To preserve as many uses for future years as possible, everyone involved in pesticides should follow Best Practice at all
times and follow Integrated Pest Management principles.
Having chosen to spray a glyphosate
product for weed control, Best Practice is summarised in the boxes. It is vital that all glyphosate users act responsibly now, so that the most widely used and trusted herbicide in the world can continue to deliver cost effective and safe weed control in years to come.
Manda Sansom, Stewardship Specialist, Monsanto UK Ltd.
www.monsanto-ag.co.uk
VOLUNTARY ADDITIONAL MEASURES FOR HARD SURFACES TO PREVENT WATER CONTAMINATION
• Do not directly overspray drains
• Protect run-off to water by only spraying hard surfaces when rain is not expected within four hours
• Spot treat weeds on hard surfaces
BEST PRACTICE FOR GLYPHOSATE USE IN AMENITY AREAS
• Choose only the safest and reliable glyphosate formulations, with the identified field of use on the label, like Roundup Pro Biactive or Roundup ProBiactive 450
• Carry out a COSHH and Environmental Impact assessment. Keep full records
• Consider prior notification in sensitive public areas
• Identify target weeds and use the minimum rate necessary for the mix of weeds present. Use a BASIS qualified adviser for recommendations.
• Only use NPTC trained operators and, if employing contractors, make sure they are Amenity Assured
• Choose efficient application equipment. Calibrate and use equipment properly to ensure no drift on to non-target areas
• Do not contaminate water when mixing, filling, spraying or disposing of glyphosate products
• Only spray in or near watercourses with EA/SEPA permission
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