Environment minister Cole Simons is not prepared to lift the ban on weedkillers containing concentrated glyphosates “at this point in time”.

The announcement, made at a stakeholder consultation meeting last night on the Glyphosate Monitoring Study Draft Report, was applauded by the public and welcomed by Greenrock.

The environmental watchdog and farmer Tom Wadson spoke out this week in support of the ban after the Government report, written by environmental engineer Geoff Smith, who was tasked to look into the risks of the weed control glyphosate from road spraying, found that there were no significant adverse health effects detected from the chemical’s use and recommended that the ban be lifted.

“As far as the minister is concerned, a decision has not been made and it will not be made until I am comfortable that our environment is safe, our people are safe and that we can effectively manage our environment and do minimal damage to it,” Mr Simons said.

Read more here: http://www.royalgazette.com/news/article/20170113/weedkiller-ban-will-not-be-lifted