The Top Hidden Costs of Chemical Weed Control or Toxic Weed control
By Jeremy Winer
12-Dec-23
Across the fabric of our designed and managed open spaces, in the disturbed sites, neglected corners, and the interface with natural environments, nature weaves its awe-inspiring tapestry. It is a testament to nature’s resilience and adaptability—the way it seizes every opportunity, even in the harshest conditions, using voids as blank canvases, to paint its masterpiece. Here, in the face of urbanisation’s ceaseless march, opportunistic vegetation emerges, breathing life into forgotten spaces, and heralding the return of diversity and vitality.
Not all forms of opportunistic vegetation are desirable so narrative emerges—one that paints these persistent plants as adversaries in a perpetual war on weeds. This narrative, grounded in a desire for order and aesthetics, preservation of assets, safety and maintaining biodiversity has driven us to seek control. For centuries labour and mechanical removal was the conventional mode of weed removal action, but only since the 1970’s(Chemical weed control in the seventies) has the “conventional” become chemical means. As we delve deeper into this story, we uncover hidden costs that challenge the wisdom of our recent approach.
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