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Weeds

Five reasons not to use weed killer

There are a number of ways to manage weeds organically - here's five reasons not to use toxic weed killer.
Bumblebee on echinacea.
Weeds contribute to your garden's biodiversity and toxic weed killers attack plants and organisms beyond the ones you are trying to kill.

Weeds may compete with crops for nutrients, light, and water, but not all weeds are bad. Some attract pollinators and others can improve the soil. And most can be composted, which will add nutrients to your soil. There are a number of ways to manage them organically without reaching for toxic chemicals, which are harmful to plants, people, and animals.

Here's five reasons why you shouldn't use weed killer:

  • Weeds can contribute to your growing area's biodiversity. To use toxic chemicals to obliterate them is simply not necessary.
  • Most contain glyphosate, which has been found to be carcinogenic.
  • Glyphosate is usually mixed in chemical formulations to make it more effective. These formulations, such as Roundup or Weedol Path Clear, are potentially far more dangerous.
  • None of these formulations has been independently tested for safety. Government regulatory bodies only test individual components, and the industry never reveals their exact make-up.
  • Independent research has revealed that glyphosate also affects the body’s endocrine system – causing problems in the liver and kidneys. Industry testers dispute this but have declined to reveal all the results of their safety tests.