{"id":34435,"date":"2024-01-30T00:01:09","date_gmt":"2024-01-30T05:01:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/?p=34435"},"modified":"2024-01-31T12:16:09","modified_gmt":"2024-01-31T17:16:09","slug":"the-fallacy-of-glyphosate-exemptions-demonstrates-the-importance-of-sound-science-on-hazards-and-solutions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2024\/01\/the-fallacy-of-glyphosate-exemptions-demonstrates-the-importance-of-sound-science-on-hazards-and-solutions\/","title":{"rendered":"The Fallacy of Glyphosate Exemptions Demonstrates the Importance of Sound Science on Hazards and Solutions"},"content":{"rendered":"

(Beyond Pesticides<\/em>, January 30, 2024) The City Council of Brighton and Hove (England) is preparing to expand the use of glyphosate after widespread public complaints over the growth of Japanese knotweed and a program of manual clearance. This imminent local land management decision flies in the face of substantial research on the health and ecological impacts of glyphosate-based herbicides, including from Aaron Blair, PhD<\/a>\u2014former chair of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) working group on glyphosate and former branch chief (now scientist emeritus) of the Occupational Studies Section, National Cancer Institute (NCI). Advocates are concerned that the city council is basing this rationale on the fact that the European Commission reapproved use of glyphosate in 2023 for a ten-year period<\/a> and not the body of scientific literature<\/a> on health and ecosystem effects as well as alternative practices and products.<\/p>\n

According to a recent ENDS Report<\/a>, \u201cThe [City of Brighton and Hove] council banned the use of glyphosate in 2019 \u2013 with an exception for killing invasive species [‘in exceptional cases’] such as Japanese Knotweed \u2013 after it was linked to health concerns and a decline in bee populations. As part of this it was agreed that the removal of weeds in parks and on hard surfaces would be undertaken manually as an alternative approach to using pesticides.\u201d After a January 23 city council meeting<\/a>, it appears that councilors are leaning toward a \u201ccontrolled-droplet application of glyphosate\u201d as of January 18, 2024. This move would broaden the existing policy of applying glyphosate to allow certain exceptions to its institution as a general practice. While the existing policy does not universally ban glyphosate, the city relied on manual weed management for the past five years.<\/p>\n

There is much more in this piece on the specifics of the City of Brighton and Hove\u2019s ordinance and the compelling science that has supported the elimination of glyphosate use in communities around the U.S. and around the world, in addition to large awards from jury verdicts for those exposed and harmed<\/a>. Before getting to that, it should be noted that the demand for glyphosate use typically does not address the question of holistic Japanese Knotweed management strategies, which are critical to this \u201cinvasive\u201d plant as well as all unwanted plants and the impact that control strategies have on ecosystem health and ecological balance. While eradication has been a driving force for many land managers and members of the public, those in the field have increasingly come to question the viability of that strategy. Eric Burkhart, PhD, a botanist, ethnobotanist, and agroforester from Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center (in Penn State University\u2019s experimental forest) and associate professor at Penn State, says the following about a holistic management strategy: \u201cAfter more than 25 years of trying to control this invasive species, I have acquired a great deal of respect for this herculean plant. I’m resolved not to concoct any fanciful notion of ever eradicating it. Invasive knotweed is here to stay.\u201d From his experience using glyphosate and other elimination strategies, he learned that, \u201cI had not carefully considered trying to restore what once grew where the knotweed intruded.\u201d Experience has brought Dr. Burkhart to recommend the following: \u201c. . .re-planting areas with vigorous native woody shrubs and trees such as dogwoods and willows. Live staking is reported by many sources to be a good option. Knotweed is less vigorous in shade, so establishing an overstory or other competition will help to suppress growth.\u201d More on this can found at a Penn State Extension webpage<\/a>. Beyond Pesticides notes that initial clearing of an area can be achieved with managed goat grazing, and chemicals are counterproductive to ecological balance and a restorative and regenerative strategy. While Beyond Pesticides does not recommend specific companies, Browsing Green Goats<\/a> and Goat Guardian<\/a> explain a strategy of clearance that is being used across the country. There are too many examples of sustainable land management with goats to list here, but a few to check out include South Portland, Maine<\/a>, and Connecticut College<\/a>. For more background on managed goat grazing, see Beyond Pesticides\u2019 goat demonstration at the 36th<\/sup> National Forum, Organic Neighborhoods<\/a>: For healthy children, families, and ecology, Irvine, California.<\/em><\/p>\n

The Council Committee on Weed Management in the Environment, Sea Downs, and The Sea in Brighton and Hove City Council put forward an ordinance change to consider controlled-droplet application or conventional application of glyphosate:<\/p>\n