Gardening Australia

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Avoiding persistent herbicide contamination (aussie.zone)

submitted 5 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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I've been reading up on the various persistent herbicides that are out there and how they can pass through animals and composting intact and I was wondering how significant an issue this would be for those of us gardening in Australia.

For my fellow gardeners, I'd like to know whether you've encountered this issue in your gardens and what steps you take to reduce the risk of contaminated materials entering your garden?

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago (4 children)

Like aminopyralids?

https://www.rhs.org.uk/soil-composts-mulches/weedkiller-in-manure

It might only be an issue if you are using hay or cow manure. Most people seem to use sugarcane.

I spoke to a friend that worked as a plumber at an abattoir and next door was a Searles. They used thebgrass from the cows stomach in some of their products. I had no idea potting mix wasn't vegan. There is a potential contamination there.

Farmers and Grazon; name a more iconic duo.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago (3 children)

Yes, exactly those. It sounds like there are others (chrolopyralids, picloram and others), but aminopyralids are the longest lived in the soil, so the biggest concern.

A lot of the resources on it are discussing the issue from a US or UK perspective, and while a lot of the issues are similar it doesn't help me assess how much of a risk a bag of manure from the local Bunnings or garden centre might really represent to my vege garden.

It'd also be worth hearing if there's been any regulatory responses to this issue locally

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago (2 children)

https://www.organicgardener.com.au/blogs/herbicide-alert

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.apvma.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication/13581-prs-aminopyralid.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjfl-bQ26CFAxWrqFYBHcLSAvYQFnoECBsQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3b8JHoO5S7Kvc-CK0Ui9nJ

Some resources I found. I'd imagine that anything brought from Bunnings or other shops would be fine, the chance for contamination is always there but I guess, keep good records and proof and if anything goes wrong you can always chase them for the damages if you so inclined

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Thanks for that, that's a much better resource than what I managed to find.

So it seems that there are is guidance aimed at keeping it out of composts and manures that people might use on their garden. It does sound like there's still some risk that a supplier might cut corners or a farmer might lie in order to get a better price for contaminated feed/manures but having it in place does at least reduce the overall risk a fair bit.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago

Yer it's a bugger, it's a classic "I can make money on selling shit(manure pun) and sucks to be the buyers" attitude, happens all the time, it's how we end up with asbestos in the parks,