‘Full States debate needed on ban on world’s safest herbicide’

Former States member and retired advocate John Langlois has written to all current deputies to call for a year-long pause so that they can properly debate the ban and examine the evidence regarding the herbicide’s potential to cause harm to the environment.

The Health & Safety Executive announced the restriction on 25 July due to the impact of glyphosate on the water supply and local environment.

It means retailers cannot sell products containing the chemical from 31 October, except to the 100 or so users who have the necessary City & Guilds NPTC level 2 award in the safe use and application of pesticides.

‘States members are in the dark on this,’ Mr Langlois said.

‘It’s been done behind their backs. We need the ban to be postponed while we have a debate on it. We should know why it’s been banned here when glyphosate is still being used all over the world.’

In his email to deputies, Mr Langlois said the ban was ‘unwarranted and unscientific’.

‘When I was president of the States Committee for Horticulture in the 1980s we had two square miles under glass,’ he said.

‘Very toxic chemicals were used by growers. We had at least 100 times more chemicals around the island in those days than there are today. Rightfully they were banned. Glyphosate is the opposite. It is the safest herbicide on the planet. Its toxicity is very minimal, much less than some of the ingredients we consume in processed foods.’

He supplied a link to a page on the United States Environmental Protection Agency website on which the government agency reports ‘there are no risks of concern to human health when glyphosate is used in accordance with its current label’.

Guernsey’s HSE has decided to allow continued use by certified practitioners because it had ‘found no evidence to link professional use with areas where high readings have been recorded in water courses’.

Mr Langlois said he holds a commercial chemical licence and so the ban would not affect him directly but he questioned the rationale behind HSE’s restriction policy.

‘I had to pass an examination to get my licence,’ he said. ‘If the product is safe for the States and commercial licence holders to use, why not teach amateur users how to use it? That is the Guernsey way.’

Glyphosate products can be disposed of for free at Longue Hougue

GLYPHOSATE can be disposed of without charge through the household waste and recycling centre, the States has said.

‘Given the attention that the forthcoming ban has received, islanders are probably wondering how to dispose safely of any glyphosate products they currently have,’ said Guernsey Waste operations manager Sarah Robinson.

‘The good news is that we will accept weedkillers and pesticides at the household waste and recycling centre, free of charge. They can then be disposed of appropriately.’

Miss Robinson said the site had limited storage capacity and so Guernsey Waste wants to ‘avoid being inundated suddenly’.

‘For that reason, we would ask islanders not to make a special trip to drop off these products. We would much rather they bring them along when they are dropping off other waste or recycling between now and the end of the year.

‘That will help us manage the disposal, but also prevent unnecessary car journeys which could cause delays in accessing the site.’

The Health & Safety Executive announced in July that products containing glyphosate will be restricted to certified professionals only from next year. Retailers will no longer be able to sell these products to the public from the end of October.

The HWRC is open 8am-4pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays and 8am-noon on Sundays. It is closed on Thursdays and bank holidays.

Any individuals or businesses with a large quantity of glyphosate products or chemicals are being asked to email the hazardous waste technical officer at hazardouswaste@gov.gg or on 01481 226263 to arrange collection.