What herbicides does the department use?

Summary

The requester asked if the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture uses glyphosate (Roundup) and requested usage volumes and locations. The department confirmed usage across Forestry, Inland Fisheries, and the Wildlife Park, providing specific quantities and sites for the period from July 2017 to September 2018.

Key Facts

• The Forestry Directorate uses glyphosate minimally for weed control around St Johns depots and for diseased elm regrowth.
• Inland Fisheries uses glyphosate at various government-owned locations including Glen Wyllin Campsite and Cringle Reservoir.
• Curraghs Wildlife Park purchased and occasionally used Roundup in minimal amounts starting in July 2018.
• Glyphosate is used in both liquid and Eco-plug (granular) forms.
• All requested information was disclosed without exemptions.

Data Disclosed

• 2.3 litres
• 30 grams
• 370 ml
• 160ml
• 70 ml
• 700 ml
• July 2017
• 2015
• 2016
• 2017
• 2018
• July 2018
• 21st August 2018
• 17 September 2018

Original Request

I am writing to you to request the following information. Does the Department use the herbicide glyphosate, sold under the name Roundup, in any of its work? And if so how much of the herbicide is used and on what areas?

Data Tables (1)

Data Tables (reformatted)

Full Response Text

Freedom of Information Co-ordinator Corporate Services Directorate Thie Slieau Whallian, Foxdale Road, St John’s, Isle of Man, IM4 3AS Tel no (01624) 685854 Fax no (01624 685851 Email: defa@gov.im www.gov.im

Our ref: 566839 17 September 2018

Dear ###

This request is being handled under the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (the Act). We write further to your request which was received on 21st August 2018 and which states: “I am writing to you to request the following information. Does the Department use the herbicide glyphosate, sold under the name Roundup, in any of its work? And if so how much of the herbicide is used and on what areas?” Response In order to provide a more comprehensive answer the information has been retained in the form it was received from the various business areas of the Department. Forestry, Amenity & Lands: The Forestry Directorate uses the herbicide Glyphosate for weed control, albeit minimal. Since July 2017 the Directorate has used approximately 2.3 litres primarily for the control of broad-leaved weeds and grasses in and around its St Johns based depots, car parks and buildings. Additionally and during the same period, the Directorate has used Glyphosate in an Eco-plug form (granular) for the control of unwanted coppice regrowth amounting to 30 grams of herbicide used; in this case for the control of diseased elm regrowth.
Inland Fisheries: Inland Fisheries occasionally uses Glyphosate (Roundup). The chemical has been used at numerous locations on Government owned land. Wild Life Park - various locations Glen Wyllin Campsite - various riverbank locations. Glen Helen - Forestry House. Cringle Reservoir 2015 - 370 ml 2016 - 160ml

2017 - 70 ml 2018 - 700 ml (to date) Curraghs Wildlife Park: The Wildlife Park purchased Roundup in July 2018 and this has been occasionally used around the Park in minimal amounts. Your right to request a review If you are unhappy with this response to your Freedom of Information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post to the sender of this letter at the address above. An electronic version of the relevant complaint form can be found by going to our website at www.gov.im/foireview. If you would like a paper version of the complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact us and we will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.
If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1 Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act; or 2 Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
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I will now close your request as of this date.

Yours sincerely

FOI Co-ordinator