TATIB FOUNDATION

 SPRAYING FOR WEEDS @ BERWICK SPRINGS LAKE :  NO WARNING SIGNS VISIBLE 03/10/2024

https://youtu.be/cG-IdnsXxAo

This spraying, within a public park is very close to the footpath.  There was a slight breeze blowing and as I walked past, fine droplets of the herbicide made contact with my skin.

The company doing the spraying, has a contract with the local city council.   One of the statutory requirements is that warning signs must be erected.   The purpose of these signs is to ensure that unsuspecting members of the public, do not get sprayed / caught in spray drift, and can make an informed choice to actually avoid the area being sprayed.  

One would expect these signs to be right next to the footpath, perhaps 50 M before the man doing the spraying and 50 M after him doing the spraying, so that members approaching him from both ends of the footpath can be adequately warned ?   

Take note that he quadbike is moving whilst the man is doing the spraying. There is no "spotter"  and he does not see me approaching and carries on spraying. 

Most of the herbicides sprayed have with-holding periods and the Product Labels typically state " Do not enter the area that has been sprayed for x amount of days"  .   So how , in this case, would members of the public know to avoid the lawns etc post spraying ?   They would not know as there are no signs.

A way to help us all know that the area has been sprayed would be to add a blue harmless vegetable dye to the mix, but according to the city council, their contract with this particular contractor, does not allow for the use of the blue dye.   

The contractor did confirm that other city councils specifically request the use of blue dye so that members of the public can see what areas have been sprayed and thus avoid coming into contact with them. 

We would highly recommend that this particular city council specifically requests the addition of the blue dye and also instructs their contractors to put up visible  signage close to the areas being sprayed, for the safety of the residents who use this park. The residents who pay rates & taxes and thus keep the city council staff employed.