My Account
Auckland Transport is taking a closer look at the cost of weed control methods alongside roads following pressure from councillors, the Weed Management Advisory group and the public.
Among the feedback focusing the mind could be the more than 400 emails sent to Auckland Transport (AT) chair Lester Levy by ratepayers who want Roundup/glyphosate replaced with hot water weed control.
As revealed in Hibiscus Matters’ last edition (September 16), there are claims that inaccurate figures are being used as a reason to continue, or even increase, the use of glyphosate/Roundup in public places despite its classification as a probable human carcinogen.
Increasing use of chemical sprays by Auckland Council on its parks and reserves is also in the pipeline after a decision taken during the Long Term Plan process to replace mechanical edging with chemicals.
Opponents to the use of glyphosate say that figures used by Council and AT which show that chemicals are cheaper than alternative, non-toxic methods, are grossly inaccurate.
Last week a decision by the AT board on the continued use of glyphosate was deferred for a second time and will now go to its November meeting.
AT spokesperson Mark Hannon says the deferral was because the board has asked for further clarification around the costs of various types of spray, including a deeper analysis of cost comparisons between glyphosate and alternative control methods.
Crs Wayne Walker and John Watson say that accurate figures are key. Cr Watson put figures in front of the Hibiscus & Bays Local Board at its meeting last month.
He said that AT quoted different costs at different times but their latest figures state that the average cost for glyphosate is $440 per km/per year (in some parts of Auckland $552 per km/per year) and that the average cost for hot water/steam is $1223 per km/per year.
He says combining the cost of hot water and high-pressure steam methods together is problematic because they are entirely different systems with different costs and effectiveness.
Steam is more expensive because it can take up to five times longer to be effective and, when this method is used, glyphosate is also applied on hard to kill weeds.
Cr Watson says that the average cost of the hot water method, such as the one that has been used on parts of the North Shore by the company Biothermal Technologies for 20 years, is $550 per km/per year.
Both councillors have seen the hot water method used, first hand, and say the Hibiscus Coast would be a perfect fit for the system. “As well as being non-toxic, it’s fast and efficient – hard to kill weeds just need repeated applications,” Cr Watson says.
The councillors say that the result they’re after is for the Hibiscus Coast to have an alternative, affordable method available if that’s what ratepayers want.
The options will eventually be put before the local board by Council staff and the final decision rests with them.
Hana Blackmore of the Weed Management Advisory says pressure is building on AT, and her group will be keeping a close eye on things until a decision is made.
She says more than 400 emails have been sent to Mr Levy via the Stop Spraying Our Streets Facebook page.
