Coillte uses ‘cancer causing’ weedkiller at its public parks

COILLTE, the State forestry body, sprays more than a thousand kilos of glyphosate weedkiller each year, even though the World Health Organisation classifed the chemical as probably carcinogenic in 2015.

The State agency, which advertises itself as ‘Ireland’s biggest outdoor playground’, encourages parents to let their children explore the country’s woodlands.

The weedkiller, which is sold under the trade name of Roundup, was the subject of a $289million lawsuit in San Francisco in August, after a court ruled that the chemical had contributed to a groundskeeper’s terminal cancer.

Coillte’s remit has grown from simply growing trees for the State to a huge range of family fun activities in the forests.

It now has 120 picnic sites and six ‘top-quality playgrounds with swings, slides, and climbing frames’.

Last year, Coillte used Approach: Eamon Ryan 1,046kg of active ingredient of glyphosate. In 2016, it used 1,065kg of active ingredient of glyphosate across a planting area of 26,290 hectares.

Dublin City Council has announced a trial run of alternatives to its use as a weedkiller on streets and parks in the capital, while France and Germany are seeking to ban the herbicide, which in November 2017 was relicensed by the European Council.

In a statement, Coillte said it uses glyphosate on its recreation sites, but that not every site needed to be sprayed with Roundup.

The commercial semi-state body, which is the biggest landowner in the country, owns 260 recreational sites across the country, plus 12 forest parks.

Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said that local residents should be told when Coillte is spraying glyphosate and claimed an entirely different approach to forestry was needed.

‘The model is based on short rotation, and clear-felling of Sitka spruce monocultures.

‘If they switched to a continuous cover forestry (CCF) model they wouldn’t have to spray glyphosate.

‘The glyphosate usage is just another sign of an unsustainable forestry approach Coillte are pursuing – not just Coillte but the whole State. The model is based on short rotation, and clear-felling of Sitka spruce monocultures.

‘The current model doesn’t produce quality timber. It’s particularly urgent for Ireland to switch to another model.’ The Green Party is calling for an immediate ban on the use of glyphosate in domestic use, and a phased ban on its use in agriculture over the next four years.

Coillte says its use of glyphosate is relatively low compared to agricultural and horticultural sectors.

Andrew St Ledger of the Woodland League added: ‘If glyphosate is safe, then why do Coillte put up warnings when they are spraying it to prevent animals or pets drinking the water, and requesting humans not to eat the berries?’

Coillte defended its actions, saying that glyphosate has been declared as safe for use in forestry nationally.

It added that tests for bioaccumulation and toxicity of chemicals are conducted by the Pesticide Registration and Control Division of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

‘Warning signs are erected on forest trails and recreational areas when conducting spraying operations to make the public aware of the operation,’ the agency added.

Subject of $289m lawsuit in US