The Green Party has called for Dublin City Council to stop using a weed-killer that is linked to cancer. Earlier this year the World Health Organisation stated that there is convincing evidence that glyphosate can also cause cancer in laboratory animals.*

The weed killer glyphosate is sold under the trade name Roundup and manufactured by the company Monsanto is widely used for weed-spreading in residential areas.

The Green Party’s Ciarán Cuffe, a city councillor who represents the north inner city on Dublin City Council stated:

“I am concerned that this weed killer is being used on residential streets despite this new evidence showing that glyphosate is a carcinogen. In recent days many streets around Stoneybatter and elsewhere in Dublin’s inner city have been sprayed with this weed-killer by contractors.

“We need to investigate alternatives to this weed-killer such as better street-cleaning to prevent weed growth, or weed removal by hand, rock salt or hot water.

“In addition, at a time when we ought to be encouraging nature in the city it seems odd that we are pursuing a ‘scorched earth’ approach to wild plants in the city.

I have tabled a motion to the Central Area Committee of the City Council which meets on Tuesday 14^th July which reads:

“That the Area Manager investigate alternatives to using Monsanto’s Roundup as a weed killer given that the World Health Organisation’s International Agency for Research on Cancer has stated that the herbicide glyphosate is probably carcinogenic to humans.”

I hope that we can phase out the use of this chemical given the evidence from this new World Health Organisation research.”

ENDS

More information

* Link to World Health Organisation research summary

http://www.iarc.fr/en/media-centre/iarcnews/pdf/MonographVolume112.pdf