Herbicide droplets hit Spalding resident

A Spalding resident was surprised to catch drops of what proved to be glyphosate sprayed into his face late last month from the sump next to his home. “I was out my backyard and it was like a rain mist blowing straight into my face,” Geoff Meehan said. “I heard this motor and there was this ute there with a motor spraying — he was spraying in the sump.” City of Greater Geraldton infrastructure director Chris Lee said staff began investigating the incident after meeting Mr Meehan on January 31. “The resident reported that due to the wind, spray drift had affected him in his backyard,” he said. “The contractor was spraying glyphosate herbicide and was immediately ordered to stop work on Friday (January 31) when the incident was reported.” Mr Lee said his staff had since met with the contractor and confirmed “appropriate systems of work were in place and followed”. “However there are some required adjustments to work practices around these sumps in consideration of weather factors and proximity to adjacent properties that will be implemented as an outcome of the investigation,” he said. Glyphosate, sold commercially as Zero and Roundup, is known to cause eye or skin irritation, and breathing the spray mist can irritate the nose and throat. According to an Oregon State University information sheet, expert opinion is divided as to whether the herbicide causes cancer. “However, a committee of scientists working for the International Agency for Research on Cancer of the World Health Organisation evaluated fewer studies and reported that glyphosate is probably carcinogenic,” the document says.