AN Ocean Reef woman is preparing to table a petition to the Joondalup Council urging the City to stop using the herbicide glyphosate.
Michele Kwok’s quest to have it banned started when she was inside the community centre at MacDonald Park in Padbury and she smelled fumes.
She realised it was from glyphosate, commonly known as Roundup, being sprayed at the park.
Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE
Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.
READ NOW“Through my research, I have found good evidence that Roundup can impact health and our environment and as a vet, I am also concerned about animal health and welfare,” she said.
Ms Kwok’s petition also requests the City conduct alternative non-chemical weed control trials and introduce marker dye in herbicides so the public can avoid recently sprayed areas.
She said she had been visiting local parks most mornings to chat with dog walkers and primary schools to talk to parents.
“I was told by a number of dog walkers from all the parks that their animals get vomiting and diarrhoea on spray days,” she said.
“Others commented on skin rashes and itchy feet, which they lick and then become sick.”
The petition, which has about 1300 signatures so far, has also been available to sign at local vet clinics and will be at Thursday’s health forum at Admiral Park in Heathridge from 10am to 11.30am.
“Joondalup City should become chemical-free like the many other local councils worldwide that are adopting non-toxic weed controls,” Ms Kwok said.
“Over 50 of Australia’s 547 councils are in the process of changing, Austria and Vietnam have banned Roundup and France has restricted its sale. Let’s join them.”
Ms Kwok said she hoped to have the petition tabled at the September 17 council meeting.
She has also started a Facebook group called Petition for City of Joondalup.
It follows a landmark case in California last year that linked Roundup to a groundskeeper’s cancer.
