INDIAN RIVER COUNTY

Roundup weed killer ban: Indian River County is latest to stop using glyphosate herbicide

Janet Begley
Special to TCPalm

Indian River County has stopped spraying glyphosate, a chemical believed to cause cancer and possibly algae blooms, at 40 parks and the Sandridge Golf Course.

The county switched from glyphosate, the herbicide most commonly sold as Roundup, to environmentally friendly methods as of Oct. 1, Public Works Director Richard Szpyrka told the County Commission Tuesday. Alternatives include:

  • Goats
  • Mechanical methods
  • Tribune, a nonvolatile herbicide
  • A combination of salt, vinegar and dish soap

Scroll down for other Treasure Coast municipalities' glyphostate policies.

The state’s agriculture department suggested the latter method, which is effective about 50-60% of the time, Szpyrka said. 

“In 2019, we purchased 80 gallons of glyphosate and used 55 gallons before we stopped using it at all,” Szpyrka said. “We subsequently got rid of what was left safely. We do not use Roundup anymore.”

The county's subcontractors also are prohibited from using glyphosate products.

Osprey Acres Park

The county has been testing the salt, vinegar and dish soap alternative at its newest recreational park, which opened Oct. 30.

“We’re still playing with it, but we were concerned with using chemicals in the area of Osprey Acres Park and we’re trying natural ingredients to get rid of the weeds," Szpyrka said. "It doesn’t get the vines, but it’s working pretty good.”

More:Park has walking trails and filters stormwater to lagoon

The county uses mechanical methods to remove weeds from canals and Tribune to kill weeds that sprout under guardrails.

“We are trying to get the word out that we don’t do the mass spraying anymore,” Szpyrka said. “We purchase equipment that allows us to reach across the canals and also remove the vegetation from the canals.”

Dan Lamson, executive director of the Indian River Neighborhood Association, walks a trail in the nearly 84-acre Osprey Acres Stormwater Park & Nature Preserve, which was slated for 400 homes until Indian River County bought the land.

Glyphosate is still used in small quantities to control invasive plants on conservation lands, manager Beth Powell said. On the 2,600-acres of conservation lands in the county, 47 gallons of glyphosate was sprayed last year.

More:FWC should make glyphosate ban permanent

Powell is also testing the use of a 10-goat herd to eat Brazilian peppers and other non-native plants in a small area.

“The goats help us reduce the amount of herbicides we have to use on conservation lands,” she said.

Roundup roundup

Here are other Treasure Coast municipalities' policies on glyphosate aka Roundup:

  • Martin County: Stopped using it in June 2019
  • Stuart: Stopped using it in September 2018
  • Sebastian: On Nov. 20 started a 120-day moratorium on using herbicides and pesticides at parks and a one-year moratorium for use along waterways while coming up with a long-term policy, according to City Manager Paul E. Carlisle
  • Port St. Lucie: Continues to use it where applicable, as well as several biological alternatives, according to Deputy Public Works Director John Dunton
  • Vero Beach: Public Works Grounds Maintenance Division, which does about 75% of the spraying in the city, uses a glyphosate-free product; the Streets Division and the Water and Sewer Department, which do the remaining 25%, use products with glyphosate, according to City Manager Monte K. Falls
  • St. Lucie County: Uses glyphosate products. The County Commission has not discussed a ban, according to spokesman Erick Gill.

TCPalm e​​​​​nvironment reporter Tyler Treadway contributed to this report.