Clopyralid in Early Day Motion 1996

[realfood]

I have just had a reply from Dan Norris MP in respect of the Early Day Motions 1996 and 1999. The reply that deals with Aminopyralid has nothing new to say.

However, I was completely taken aback by his comments on Clopyralid; "there have been no substantiated incidents involving clopyralid".
Even I know that Gardening Which was testing an organic liquid fertiliser from B&Q when they spotted the telltale distorted foliage of the plants treated with this fertiliser. Subsequent independent laboratory testing showed the presence of Clopyralid, which has now been confirmed by further tests done by B&Q.
Does anyone know of other substantiated incidents involving Clopyralid that I can quote in my reply to the Minister?

[Two_Sheds]

After aminopyralid, it now seems that we have to worry about clopyralid, mostly in lawn clippings.

Weedkiller banned in US

[realfood]

Since I posted in 2008(my how time passes), I have seen a few reports of problems where there has been suspected contamination of grow bags affecting the crops grown in them. I suspect that the most likely culprit in these cases is clopyralid. This has possibly been introduced through the incorporation of composted green waste from domestic garden lawns, as a replacement of peat.

[Aberdeenplotter]

can you share these reports with us please. Where did you see them? Comments such as possibly and most likely are not really helpful unless we can see something to substantiate.

[Aberdeenplotter]

In particular, I'd like to see a list of the products containing clopyralid,

[SarzWix]

I've wondered how local authorities who sell on compost made from householders garden waste are getting round the possibility that people have used feed-and-weed type products on their lawn...

[zazen999]

can you share these reports with us please. Where did you see them? Comments such as possibly and most likely are not really helpful unless we can see something to substantiate.

In particular, I'd like to see a list of the products containing clopyralid,

Both should be included in the report on this webpage

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct...,d.d2k&cad=rja

[Aberdeenplotter]

ta, productlist shown in table 10 in the appendix.

[rustylady]

Both should be included in the report on this webpage

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct...,d.d2k&cad=rja

That's the report I found Zazen, but although I haven't read it all yet, I couldn't find any product names available to amateur gardeners in the UK.

[Aberdeenplotter]

ta, product list shown in table 10 in the appendix.

Keep up RL

[bazzaboy]

ta, productlist shown in table 10 in the appendix.

Although you won’t get the full article unless you subscribe or happen to have bought the Times newspaper there is an article about clopyralid in Weedkiller banned in US

AP's on the ball and Appendix 1 Table 10 of the report named above lists weedkiller products sold in the UK for amateur use which contain clopyralid as Evergreen Lawn Weedkiller, Verdone Extra, Vitax LawnClear2 and Weedol Lawn Weedkiller.

I don't use any of those personally nor do I use local authority compost (nor as far as I'm aware does it even exist here....) but that's where the problem seems to arise.... I do use grass cuttings as a mulch and it serves to make you very aware of the possibility of "carryover".

[chris]

Since I read zaz's thread about Zaz using grass clippings from a football ground (or somewhere similar) I don't use any clippings bar my own- as I don't use any bought feed, nor weed killer.

I'm curious about the straw I use for my chooks now too - though need to double check as last time I asked about it was a good few months back.

[Feral007]

Son has brought back clippings from when he was doing the lawnmowing over summer. I was a bit worried about them, but he'd already put them on so I didn't say anything.

Normally we only have our own so not a problem. The only weed killer I use is glyphosate and mostly in the paddock not the house yard.
Hoping that is the case for the clippings he brought home.

The use of amino/clopyralid here is rife in the haymaking areas. I've just sourced a definate no chemical, local native grasses hay, and will need to pay more, and transport, but it will be worth it to be sure of what we are using in the garden, and also what the horses are eating. Since they will not only be providing a small amount of manure for the manure teas, but also seeding the paddocks with native grass seed, complete with it's own fertilizer pack!

There is no talk of any problems with those products here in Aus. They are listed as approved for use.

[WPG]

That's a really interesting report Zazen. Eek! I've bought over a dozen bags of our local council compost, I just hope people here aren't too reckless with their lawn weedkillers. The compost itself looks perfect, dark and crumbly (although strangely it feels a little greasy too), but I hadn't thought it might be contaminated.

If I've understood the text on page 4 of the report right, it seems I can 'test' for clopyralid by sowing some red clover into the compost and watching for symptoms within 14 days of germination - I think I'll try that for peace of mind before I dig any more into the allotment.

[Two_Sheds]

Although you won’t get the full article unless you subscribe or happen to have bought the Times newspaper

I didn't realise you all couldn't read it, sorry. Here's a summary of the article I linked to:

It is related to aminopyralid, ...developed by a subsidiary of Dow Chemicals and can be active at levels as low as ten parts per billion, the equivalent of a droplet in an Olympic swimming pool, although there is no evidence that it causes significant harm to human health.

However, one former Dow employee became so concerned about the compound that he privately commissioned tests on bags of sugar from a supermarket. Most samples, including one labelled “organic”, tested positive for residues of clopyralid.

Lawn Clear 2 and Verdone Extra, [are] the two clopyralid products marketed at amateur gardeners, although it includes a warning to leave clippings on the lawn to avoid contamination.