Guernsey to impose retail ban on glyphosate products

Guernsey will ban retailers from selling glyphosate products from the autumn.

The States' Health & Safety Executive will introduce a ban on the sale of the products - which are used in some weedkillers and other garden treatments - to the public from 31 October 2022.

The body has made the decision after examining the impact of the chemicals on local water supplies and biodiversity.

Guernsey Water put out an appeal earlier in the year asking islanders to limit the use of the product because of risks to the water supply.

Robin Gonard, Chief Health & Safety Officer said “We’ve been keeping retailers aware of our work in this area, and have contacted them already to let them know that from the end of October they won’t be able to sell these products unless its for professional use.

"Many of the pesticides you find on the shop shelves already don’t contain glyphosate as the industry increasingly moves away from it and so we don’t expect this to have a significant impact for businesses, but we do believe it will help improve water quality and protect our biodiversity.”

Professional use of glyphosate products will be allowed to continue as HSE found no evidence linking its use by local firms to areas where there was a high concentration detected in the water.