'Frustration' at ongoing delay to ending use of chemical weedkiller

Athlone councillor Aengus O'Rourke voiced frustration this week when told that the council had not yet come up with an alternative to using chemical weed sprays on local streets and footpaths.

The use of chemical weed sprays containing glyphosate, a potentially carcinogenic chemical, has become increasingly controversial in recent years and more than 1,800 people signed an online petition in 2019 which called for an end to the use of these sprays in Athlone.

In March 2020, the Athlone Moate Municipal District opted to end all weed spraying on the Old Rail Trail Greenway, but the local authority has continued to use glyphosate-based based products like Roundup to control weeds in other areas.

A year ago, councillors were told that a research project was being undertaken on behalf of a group of local authorities to "develop and test alternatives to the use of glyphosate herbicides" for weed control in public places.

When Cllr O'Rourke asked for an update at a meeting on Monday, he was told that "multi annual" research was being undertaken by Maynooth University and results from it were not available.

"No results are available yet from this research. Westmeath County Council is committed to trialling any of these alternative products as they become available through the research project, and we will keep the members informed of any progress," stated the council's written response.

An exasperated Cllr O'Rourke said the situation had been dragging on for the last "14 to 16 months".

"It seems to me that a mountain is being made out of a molehill here," he remarked.

"I don't see any way that it can be speeded up. It's disappointing, but it is what it is," replied council Director of Services, Barry Kehoe.

The meeting was also told that 25 housing estates in the Athlone-Moate District had 'opted in' for weed spraying this year. Each estate is due to be treated once, and this year's spraying is now underway.