New research shows glyphosate could be harmful to freshwater ecosystems
CBC
Some residents in Colchester County, N.S., are worried about the effects of the herbicide glyphosate being sprayed on land near waterways, and new research out of McGill University suggests there is cause for concern.
Glyphosate is used in the forestry industry to kill deciduous trees, allowing the softwoods sought by harvesters to grow unhampered.
Every year, Nova Scotia's Environment Department issues permits to companies to spray the herbicide in forests around the province.
An area near Stewiacke, N.S., has been targeted for spraying this year, much to the ire of community members and environmental activists.
"As soon as it rains, it's going to run into [the brook]. It's like a spiderweb of brooks and swamps and ponds and little lakes," Ellen Durkee, a lifelong resident of the Middle Stewiacke area, told CBC Radio's Information Morning on Friday.
"They're not allowed to apply it anywhere near any kind of waterway, [but] they can't be avoided in this area."
Durkee is among a number of residents who are opposed to spraying in the area. Protesters have set up camp near the targeted forests in hopes their presence will deter companies from spraying the herbicide.