Data relating to Council's use of chemical herbicides
Dear Cairns Regional Council,
Please provide a response to these Freedom of Information requests.
Provide the names of chemical herbicides used, and quantities used over the last 5 years from council operators and contractors operating under contract for Council.
Provide a copy of the Council’s policy and procedures relating to the use of chemical herbicides by Council or Council appointed contractors before, during and after rainfall.
Provide your data on how you have determined safety to the environment in relation to Council’s chemical herbicide spray programs.
Provide your data on how you have determined safety to the public in relation to Council’s chemical herbicide spray programs.
Provide your data on how you have determined safety to the Council’s employees who are spraying the chemical herbicides.
Provide data showing that chemical herbicide treatments are a sustainable and ecologically friendly method of weed control.
Provide your policy and procedures that reduce the exposure to the public and reduce the risk of bare foot children or members of the public from walking on areas that have been freshly treated with wet chemical herbicide product.
Provide your policy and procedures for notifying and informing the public of what was sprayed and when an area was sprayed.
Provide your data and research that shows the degree and quantity of run-off from chemical herbicides being sprayed by Council and/or Council appointed contractors including glyphosate-based herbicides into any drainways that lead into the Great Barrier Reef.
Yours faithfully,
Spray Free FNQ
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Cairns Regional Council
Hi Spray Free FNQ,
I wanted to inform you Council is currently in the process of collating what documentation we have to release administratively. When the documentation has been collated, I'll send you through what Council has.
Kind regards,
Tayla Scott | RTI Officer
Cairns Regional Council
Phone: 4044 3114
[email address] | cairns.qld.gov.au
PO Box 359, 119-145 Spence St, Cairns Q 4870
Dear Spray Free FNQ,
Please see below answers to your questions plus documentation to pair with.
1. Provide the names of chemical herbicides used, and quantities used over the last 5 years from council operators and contractors operating under contract for Council.
* Attached is Natural Assets Management specific but every parks crew, asset or infrastructure manager etc manages their own records.
* Chemical Distribution Form (example of herbicide type used - attached)
* Council contractors are guided by Council on the types of products to use and where they can be used as per the current contract
* Attachments labelled Weedpro, Herbicide and Weedmaster details products procured over 2016 to 2021 period.
2. Provide a copy of the Council's policy and procedures relating to the use of chemical herbicides by Council or Council appointed contractors before, during and after rainfall.
* Safe Work Procedure (SWP) attached
* Does not exist as Council crews follow label requirements. No additional procedures are in places other than safety and legislative requirements.
* Council contractors follow the guidelines as outlined by Queensland Health as they are all certified as ACDC licence.
3. Provide your data on how you have determined safety to the environment in relation to Council's chemical herbicide spray programs.
* As Per Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) advice (labels, SDS and spray permits - all on APVMA website
4. Provide your data on how you have determined safety to the public in relation to Council's chemical herbicide spray programs.
* Risk added to Corporate Risk Register, completion of a risk assessment, development of a Safe Work Procedure (attached) and relevant staff trained in application of herbicides (AC/DC Program)
* Also following APVMA advice (labels, SDS and spray permits - all on APVMA website)
5. Provide your data on how you have determined safety to the Council's employees who are spraying the chemical herbicides.
* Risk added to Corporate Risk Register, completion of a risk assessment, development of a Safe Work Procedure (attached) and relevant staff trained in application of herbicides (AC/DC Program) and provision of Staff Safety Information (Copy attached)
* Also following APVMA advice (labels, SDS and spray permits - all on APVMA website)
6. Provide data showing that chemical herbicide treatments are a sustainable and ecologically friendly method of weed control.
* By following APVMA advice (labels, SDS and spray permits - all on APVMA website)
7. Provide your policy and procedures that reduce the exposure to the public and reduce the risk of bare foot children or members of the public from walking on areas that have been freshly treated with wet chemical herbicide product.
* As SWP attached and:
* By following APVMA advice (labels, SDS and spray permits - all on APVMA website)
Provide your policy and procedures for notifying and informing the public of what was sprayed and when an area was sprayed.
* As Per APVMA advice (labels, SDS and spray permits - all on APVMA website)
8. Provide your data and research that shows the degree and quantity of run-off from chemical herbicides being sprayed by Council and/or Council appointed contractors including glyphosate-based herbicides into any drainways that lead into the Great Barrier Reef.
* Data is location based, cannot determine runoff from this and is not required for records. All herbicides used in drain areas (per label) are considered safe per APVMA advice at levels, type and amount used.
* NOTE: All herbicides applied by Council are either fan sprayed or direct injected, therefore there is no run-off component to the activity. Officers do record environmental factors for wind drift and follow risk based guides on this process
Kind regards,
Tayla Scott | RTI Officer
Cairns Regional Council
Phone: 4044 3114
[email address] | cairns.qld.gov.au
PO Box 359, 119-145 Spence St, Cairns Q 4870