*Warning* for Gardeners

[normxb]

If your using "Round-Up" or "Glysophate" weed killer ( Mower in a Can ) be Careful ...

Instructions say "Avoid contact with Skin" , Oh Yeah , (read it afterwards like always) ... I had a couple of cuts on my hands & didn't wear gloves , BAD move. got it on my hands while mixing the concentrate . Was sick as a dog for a while.

WEAR GLOVES , believe me , it's worth it.

[qwigybo]

sounds like nasty shizit

[dan.76]

my great uncle sprayed under his caravan with some really strong pesticide to get rid of ants that were annoying him. craweled under it to do it and didnt wear ppe . he got a mystery illness that took ages to trace back to the pesticide. over the period of a year or so the skin peeled off his whole body, every bit, he looked like a leper. when he went to the shops people used to push the change across the counter so they didnt have to touch him.
im pretty sure he has the sole of his foot in a jar. his arms and legs swelled up and he couldnt walk only shuffle along slowly.

very freaky stuff. stay away from chemicals if you can

[Dazza XLT]

Follow the instructions on the label! They're put there for your own safety.
Glyphosate is an interesting one. We once had a sales rep come thru and drink some, to show how safe it was! Not recommended by me!!! He was fine.

Never use expired chemicals. 1. They might not even work. 2. They may have increased in strength over time.
And most of all, follow the label directions. Don just say "Yeah this much will do" and pour some in. Measure it out! If you use too much, it's just a waste!

Take all the precautions and you will be better protected against the side affects of these chemicals.
We sell some of the deadliest chemicals around, and none of our clients have any problems, as they have all the proper equipment to handle these products.
Even a decent pair of Nitrile Gloves, and some disposible face masks will help.

Cheers

Darran

[rodderz]

Glyphosate which is the actual constituent in Round-Up, Zero etc is actually one of the "tame" ones. There are other chemicals in other herbices which are a lot worse that they have tightened up on now, such as the selective herbicides 2,4-D esters that were used in Vietnam as the Agent Orange defoliant or Triclopyr that is used by a few Councils and weed contractors to control Blackberry. Goes without saying though you should be careful when using all of them, and keep pets away from where you use it

Some stories about Garlon (Triclopyr) I heard about at tafe.... 1 guy contracted cancer from sitting on his tractor seat that was exposed to spray drift, another got it from leaning over plant trays all day and it soaked through his clothes, and 1 guy actually drank some that was being stored in a coke bottle (which funnily enough Garlon looks like coke) and his workmates had to watch him convulse and eventually die as it ate him from the inside out

[Dazza XLT]

Funny you mention 2-4D Ester Rodderz.
The APVMA (Aust Pesticides and Vet Medicine Authority) have suspended the registration of the high volatile ester formulations until April 2007.
So no more 2-4D sales!

Cheers
Darran

[Walkinshaw]

Originally Posted by rodderz

Glyphosate which is the actual constituent in Round-Up, Zero etc is actually one of the "tame" ones. There are other chemicals in other herbices which are a lot worse that they have tightened up on now, such as the selective herbicides 2,4-D esters that were used in Vietnam as the Agent Orange defoliant or Triclopyr that is used by a few Councils and weed contractors to control Blackberry. Goes without saying though you should be careful when using all of them, and keep pets away from where you use it

Some stories about Garlon (Triclopyr) I heard about at tafe.... 1 guy contracted cancer from sitting on his tractor seat that was exposed to spray drift, another got it from leaning over plant trays all day and it soaked through his clothes, and 1 guy actually drank some that was being stored in a coke bottle (which funnily enough Garlon looks like coke) and his workmates had to watch him convulse and eventually die as it ate him from the inside out

i.e. read the directions. Things that are manufactured to kill things, often do just that. Kill things.

[muppet]

I live next to a council park and they came around and sprayed roundup to kill the grass before they put a garden in. Did they tell anyone ,no ,they didnt even put signes up to warn people. So when my kids got home from school off they whent to play in the park and came back with a rash over most of their boddies. So I got stuck into the council about it and the guy that actually did the spraying told me that he has his hands in the stuff all day every day and that it was safe(looks like he can look forward to a long healthy life lol). I told him very bluntly what I thought of his IQ level.
I eventually got on to his boss and they now do letter box drops before they spray and put signes up to warn people(all of which should have been done the first time).
I allso pointed out to this guy that it says on my bottle of roundup not to spray near open water ways . Out the front of my house is water front reserve and they sprayed to put the garden there and now they spray once a year to kill the weeds. the garden was put there for so called environmental reasons and they spray thousands of litres of roundup on it and into the lake every year. So how can that be environmentaly friendly. This stuff is not safe and as someone else said it's meant to kill stuff and that is what it will do.

[rodderz]

There is a RoundUp Biactive which has an added surfactant that dissallows the chemical to mix with water (floats on top) that is supposed to be used around waterways, but still has the same chemical as the normal one

[GreenMachine]

Good advice - I always wear long pants/long shirt and gloves when spraying roundup at the farm, but haven't ever worn face gear like a dust mask (too hot) - Generally end up with a 3 day headache after that. Fortunately, it's only once every year or so that I do it.

[uranium_death]

My old man has been using roundup concentrate for years...he's never had a problem

It comes down to reading instructions and using common sense.