The US Composting Council calls on chemical manufacturers to withdraw herbicides known to persist in soil and compost with phytotoxic plant effects and to take responsibility for the damage these persistent herbicides cause, and on the US EPA and state agencies to take immediate and decisive action to prevent further environmental and financial damage.
THE PROBLEM
What Are Persistent Herbicides?
Persistent herbicides are a class of systemic herbicides that are used to control a wide variety of broadleaf weeds. These herbicides are formulated to survive multiple years of exposure in a growing environment. This relatively new class of herbicides called “pyridine and pyrimidine carboxylic acids” has been designed for use in hayfields, horse pastures, agricultural crop production, golf courses, right-of- ways, and lawns to kill off unwanted weeds and to remain effective for several months to years. These herbicides do not impact grasses, but once ingested, can pass through mammals into their manure, urine or bedding chemically intact.
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USCC Position Statement on Persistent Herbicides
