Last year I wrote two pieces for the Ponsonby News complaining about the continued use of the poisonous carcinogen, Roundup, containing not only glyphosate, but also dangerous so-called inert ingredients (one called polyoxyethyleneamine or POEA) which are a proven danger to human health.
Recently the Council (or one of its contractors) sprayed the berms on the edge of Sackville Street, Grey Lynn, and killed plants which are part of the Pollinator Paths initiative launched by Andrea Reid with assistance from the Waitemata Local Board. The Pollinator Paths are inside the Hakanoa Reserve, adjacent to the berms. It would be impossible to spray the berms without spray affecting the Reserve.
I spoke to Pippa Coom, Chair of the Waitemata Local Board.
There are changes to the spraying contract regime on the way, she told me. A new team takes over on 1 July. The new contractor, Ventia, has pledged to reduce glyphosate spray, Pippa says. But I got no assurance from Pippa that glyphosate use will be discontinued altogether. There is a clear admission that it is still used, and a vague promise to reduce it. Not good enough!
The spray used on Waitemata Board area berms is bio-safe, not glyphosate, Pippa Coom assures us. A Council memo of 30 Nov 2015, says “Bio-Safe is used on a four-weekly cycle and is SUPPLEMENTED WITH SYNTHETIC HERBICIDE (my capitals)”. Read glyphosate for synthetic herbicide.
The paper further says, “Glyphosate-based herbicides are the preferred method of vegetation control in the road corridor and are widely used across the road network.”
It is high time the Council updated its “Methods of weed control in Auckland” material, and got up to date with the latest international research on the dangers of using glyphosate-based products. Damning new evidence is being announced every week. The only reports supporting use of glyphosates come from the producer of glyphosate products, Monsanto’s, own tame journalists who are paid to say it is safe.
I have arranged to meet with Pippa Coom in the next couple of weeks to clarify some of the spraying issues, and clear up some of the conflicting statements. It is not as straight forward as I had thought. I want to discuss a way to completely ban the poison’s use.
Pippa has assured Ponsonby News that she is in favour of the ultimate banning of glyphosate products , after the Board has worked its way through all the options and their costs.
I look forward to that briefing with Pippa Coom, and will report back to readers next month.
After all, some of Auckland’s Local Boards have already banned it — Kaipatiki, Devonport/Takapuna, Whau, Waiheke and Great Barrier.
We should be next. (JOHN ELLIOTT)