Motion to ban use of 'harmful' toxin in Limerick fails to attract support

A MOTION for the banning of glyphosate, an active and possible carcinogenic found in certain weed killers has been rejected by members of Limerick City and County Council.

The motion came before the most-recent meeting of the Climate Action, Biodiversity and Environment (CABE) Strategic Policy Committee (SPC).

Green Party Cllr Seán Hartigan put forward the motion in the hopes it would be seconded by a member of the SPC to be brought forward to a full council meeting of Limerick City and County Council.

Glyphosate has been subject to two recent high-profile court cases in the United States and according to the World Health Organisation is “probably carcinogenic to humans”.

Bayer, the manufacturer of the common weedkiller Roundup, has agreed to settle a number of lawsuits over the potential carcinogenic effects of the herbicide.

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Cllr Hartigan addressed the members of the SPC on Tuesday, October 10.

“In reply to my question on glyphosate usage at last month’s metropolitan meeting, I was told that weed spraying is not carried out in the council’s various parks in the city and county, reports I’m getting from the public contradict this.

Cllr Hartigan called on members of the SPC to support his motion and follow the lead of Louth, Cork, Dublin City and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown local authorities to ban all use of glyphosate except in exceptional circumstances such as the control of alien invasive species to protect both biodiversity and human health.

Cllr Hartigan's motion was not seconded by any of the members of the CABE SPC and won't be brought to full council.