New call for triazine herbicide ban

Date:10-15-2009


The Tasmanian Greens have used the latest international research to again call for a ban on Triazine herbicides.

The Greens Cassy OConnor has told State Parliament, scientific papers showed water contaminated with atrazine at levels below Australian standards has been associated with reproductive abnormalities.

Ms OConnor has blamed Tasmanias increasing cancer rates on widespread spraying of the herbicides.

"We have the highest cancer rates in the nation which jumped by 30 per cent in 25 years while these toxic chemicals were being sprayed in increasing quantaties, largely unregulated, on forestry and farmland and into the drinking water of Tasmanians," she said.

The Health Minister Lara Giddings said the Government was aware of the research.

She said the Government relied on World Health Orgnisation guidelines to determine safe levels of the chemicals.