France Calls Ban on Sales of Roundup Weedkiller

France’s Minister Ségolene Royale has called for a ban on over the counter sales of the weedkiller Roundup, a product of American agrochemical giant Monsanto, saying in a France 3 television statement that ‘France must be on the offensive with regards to the banning of pesticides’.

While Roundup is the best-known brand of household weedkillers, they are also found in generic form under the name of its component: glyphosate. The International Centre for Cancer research says in a press release that it has recently revised its classification of glyphosate, the herbicide most widely used in France by home gardeners, upgrading it to ‘probably carcinogenic‘.

Monsanto said to Reuters on Sunday it had no information relating to a change in the marketing authorisation for Roundup and that there was no new scientific data available to challenge it.

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The call comes ahead of a push to ban all harmful chemical pesticides. The transition energy law provides that all public institution will be banned from using phytosanitary products in green spaces, forest and around public hiking paths. A further restriction is expected in 2022, when the loi Labbé will ban all use of phytosanitary products (phytosanitaires) by private individuals.

The Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy offers a handy guide for amateur gardeners to switch to natural gardening, without the need to use pesticides.

How about you? What do you use in your French garden? Do you have any tips for natural weed control? Please don’t hesitate to share your comments and tell us about your ‘secret weapons’!

Photo by Arria Belli