UPDATE — 15/06/19 | Wollongong City Council will now review its use of herbicides amid public concern over the aerial spraying of chemicals across the region.
UPDATE | The Illawarra District Weeds Authority is responsible for the program and it is run by the Illawarra Shoalhaven Joint Organisation. Find out more about the program by clicking here.
Sign the petition to stop aerial spraying around the Illawarra region by clicking here.
Preparations are underway for helicopter spraying of the chemical RoundUp around the Port Kembla region in New South Wales.
Locals are up in arms after plans were announced to use helicopters to douse swathes of bush with the chemical, just days after a Melbourne man launched Australia’s first lawsuit blaming the weedkiller for his cancer.
SPRAYING ANNOUNCED
Residents in Port Kembla — 8km from the Wollongong CBD — have been informed recently that the Illawarra District Weeds Authority would be spraying RoundUp from helicopters in late June.
According to local reports, it’s part of annual “weed prevention management” spraying to combat the Bitou bush, following previous actions in Bass Point in recent years.
This includes about 90ha to be sprayed around Perkins Beach, 40ha at Bass Point in Shellharbour, and another 8ha on private land at Gerringong.
The region will receive glyphosate spraying, while it’s been announced that a sister product, Brush-Off, will be used.
In previous years, Bass Point has received RoundUp from the air.
Diana Matic was one resident who saw the notice from IDWA about Port Kembla.
“I actually thought this was a joke,” Ms Matic said.
“You have countries like France and Vietnam which are banning it.
But here, it’s actually going to go on people’s houses. And people have pets, they have babies. There’s people who walk along the beach straight afterwards.
There’s got to be another way.”
IDWA weeds officer David Pomery said some areas were not accessible without aerial spraying:
“Alternate methods are being utilised where appropriate but in the meantime the IDWA must consider utilising aerial spraying in some situations to ensure effective management of this weed across the coastal landscape.”
PUBLIC OUTRAGE
Numerous petitions have been started by concerned locals since the publishing of this news, and have been signed by thousands of people.
In one petition, signed by more than 2500 people, Wollongong woman Sara Louise said the potential health risks of Roundup were “unacceptable”.
This week, in response to public outrage, Gordon Bradbery — Lord Mayor of Wollongong — has attempted to defuse the anger of locals.
Bradbery said he wasn’t an expert, but had been told the herbicide RoundUp will be sprayed under “strict guidelines”:
“The spraying will be carried out by well-trained personnel, who follow the guidelines, mitigate risk and ensure safety.”
Currently, Illawarra District Weeds Authority are still planned to use aerial spraying to manage the weed across the coastal landscape, with alternate methods utilised where appropriate.
Herbicide ‘drift’ has been identified as a persistent problem with aerial spraying, but IDWA officers have said spraying would only occur when “weather conditions are appropriate”.
THE ROUNDUP SAGA
Monsanto developed glyphosate in 1970 to kill weeds and grasses that harm crops.
The company marketed the chemical as Roundup Weed Killer, and by 2007, it became the most used herbicide in the United States and widely available in Australia. An estimated 1.4 billion pounds of Roundup are used in more than 160 countries each year.
Despite its widespread use, the popular weedkiller has been called into question as a possible health hazard within the past several years.
Thousands of Roundup users have filed lawsuits alleging that they have developed non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, b-cell lymphoma, leukemia, or other forms of cancer after using the product.
Today, Monsanto faces 13,400+ Roundup lawsuits, three major examples of which in the US have come down in favour of plaintiffs with cancer.
This includes one in which the plaintiff received a jury award of $78.5 million in compensatory and punitive damages, and in the latest, a court in California awarded a couple $2.8 billion.
This week Melbourne gardener, Michael Ogliarolo, launched legal action alleging RoundUp caused his cancer, non-Hodgkins lymphoma.
The prevalence of this chemical is prolific. From tampons to vaccines, it has been discovered everywhere — and it’s making us sick.
Calls have now been made for farm chemical regulator, Australian Pesticides and Vet Medicines Authority (APVMA), to immediately begin a formal safety review of Roundup herbicide and glyphosate, with a focus on NHL and other terminal diseases.
RELATED CONTENT
Parts of Port Kembla lined up for RoundUp aerial spraying | Illawarra Mercury
Wollongong Lord Mayor attempts to defuse anger over RoundUp aerial spraying | Illawarra Mercury
California Judge Cuts Award To $78.5 Million In Monsanto Weedkiller Case | NPR.org
Jury awards couple $2 billion in Monsanto Roundup cancer lawsuit trial | CBS News
Melbourne gardener launches legal action against Monsanto in first Australian Roundup lawsuit | ABC News
People aren’t Glutards. They’re just Glyphucked. | Real News Australia
US jury finds Roundup causes cancer: call for Australian review | Real News Australia
FOLLOW US
For more TOTT News, SUBSCRIBE to the website for FREE and follow us on social media for more exclusive content:
Facebook — Facebook.com/TOTTNews
YouTube — YouTube.com/TOTTNews
Instagram — Instagram.com/TOTTNews
Twitter — Twitter.com/EthanTOTT
This is murder … how stupid can these people be ? Hell bent on posioning everyone
This is a copy of a recent post about the increasing rates of Cancers in society.
You need to remember that Cancer is (mostly) not contagious and dies with the victim –
So where is it coming from?
– no particular order – in my opinion…
* carcinogenic herbicide traces in food
* silico-fluoride (and other fluoride variants) in water and traces in food
* preservatives in food
* excessive sugars in all food and drinks
* contaminants directly into the atmosphere ie planes
* vaccinations material being directly injected into the body – bypassing body defense systems
* bombardment by Electromagnetic radiation (EMR) on a scale never before seen and made exponentially worse by mobile technology and stupid government decisions to have more than one physical mobile network… (about to be a magnitude worse by 5G (3G/4G and wifi are bad enough)
lots of research into a “cure” and yet no-one seems to look at the cause?
#cancer
#ban_fluoride
#one_mobile_network
#no_compulsory_medication
Idiots poison and kill every thing
WTF is the matter with these idiots….I cant believe Councils and Govts are that bloody stupid in this day and age with all the knowledge available.
I wonder if all these so called experts, that say Roundup won,t hurt you would like to have a bath in Roundup every day , because that is what happens when you spray it from a Helicopter or plane RIP people
What is wrong with these idiots, trying to reduce the countries population ?
RIP people
Stop killing people and animals with your poison these councils and government are killing and causing g cancer with the poison they are allowing into the air we breathe. They are causing serious problems to people’s health and killing every animal that is sprayed.
GET LEGAL ADVISE & FAST!!
The US forest service sprays round up on naional forest lands from helicopters. This does not kill the evergreens, just the undergrowth. They call this fire prevention. Its crazy.
It boggles the mind that anyone would think this is ok. First, Australia rams vaccines down people’s throats, then they spray roundup on their people. What exactly do they think is going to happen? Surely anyone living near their would have legitimate cause for a class action lawsuit to prevent this.
Does anyone know if there is there a petition going around for this?
Is there a petition ?What is wrong with these idiots poisoning people
Well best they get ready to be sued !!!
And the animals who could eat this weed successfully, the horse, is also killed indiscriminately. Get your heads together guys and do the right and “intelligent” thing. Left and right hands are completely “out of touch”.
Don’t do it!
Try 6000 people have now signed it! What the actual f***?
People should be angry. This is not okay. Lock your doors and turn on water deluge!!!!
A cancer cluster is already said to be in the area due to heavy industry so perhaps they realise they can spray and get away!
This spraying is also happening in my area on the Mid North Coast near Forster. I took my 1yr old daughter down to the beach for a play and noticed some signs erected with no information on what chemical is actually being sprayed. Lucky for her I had educated myself on what was being sprayed. People were walking and playing along the beach with their children past these signs with no idea of the consequences. The area being sprayed has no town water connected to houses and rely on tank water! It would be interesting to get some of these water tanks tested. I was speaking to the local shop owner and he said to “shut your windows they are spraying again”. Local fisherman have been telling me of the reduction of Pipis and beach worms in the area since the spraying programs began years ago. The Mid Coast Council say the spraying program will be from the 17th June to the 28th June so I guess it is safe to take my daughter back to the beach after the 28th? YEAH RIGHT. I will be starting a petition in my area to educate people on what is happening here.This is a disgrace!
This glyphosate spraying is not only killing weeds, it is killing insects, birds, animals, any wildlife. The problem is that native wildlife is part of the web of life…insects are pollinators for food crops and fruit trees. This spraying is killing EVERYTHING not just weeds. I would be going to the courts for a legal INJUNCTION to stop the spraying. If they want to remove xx weeds, hire a team to go out and pull the damn weeds and burn them! That would eliminate the problem and save the wildlife and the humans!!!! This spraying is deadly…and WHO IS BENEFITING? Perhaps local authorities are getting a kick back from those selling the glyphosate? Better check that out!!!!
This is like the reaction to Climate Change. Head in the sand!!
Noooo this is absolutely the worse thing they can do knowing the carcinogenic effects of this dangerous pesticide. stopit now!
Oh My Gosh!! You have got to be kidding!! I use round up in tiny amounts and carefully from a bottle. The side effects are clear.
What the heck are they thinking?
I just can’t wrap my head around this!
Laura
Buy some drones and use them 😉
Glyphosate..😖😖😖
And we wonder why we have the highest percentage of cancer rates in the world – including all cancers!
And we wonder why so many of us have food allergies, gut issues and gluten intolerance!
Wake up! 😖
Yes I can attest to the Mid North Coast spraying of Roundup in the National Parks for weed control. The amount of dead birds was quite evident!
Australian Government. “Don’t run, we are your friends!”