AN ALTERNATIVE weed killer will be trialled around Kingston playgrounds for the next 12 months.
Mayor Cr David Eden said the existing weed-control product Round Up containing glyphosate is approved for use by the World Health Organisation, the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority and WorkSafe but council is happy to trial other options due to community feedback.
“Over the next 12 months council will be using herbicide Local Safe around our 114 playgrounds to see how it performs,” Cr Eden said.
“While our current product is perfectly safe we are adopting a proactive approach in key areas around playgrounds and using a vinegar-based product instead of chemicals.”
Round Up is regarded as being substantially cheaper and more effective in controlling weeds when compared with other products or steam-based treatments.
The European Union declared in March that there is no scientific evidence to suggest glyphosate causes cancer.
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 5 July 2017