2023-04-25 09:53:56
Inexpensive, commonly used product mixes to replace banned herbicides
Since 2019, many herbicides have been banned from sale to individuals due to their toxicity for health and the environment and have therefore disappeared from store shelves. Deprived of the products they used to use, some individuals are turning to alternatives offered on the internet. Some recommend the use of bleach, vinegar or hydrochloric acid, which are inexpensive and commonly used products.
A dangerous practice that can lead to hospitalization
The bleach/vinegar (or other acid) combination produces a release of chlorine gas cause of poisoning.
While only one poisoning had been recorded by the poison control centers from 2002 to 2013, this number has risen to 203 since the date of the ban on certain herbicides for individuals in 2019. These poisonings mainly occur at the late spring and early summerwhen weeding is most practiced.
The most frequently observed symptom is cough, most often associated with difficulty in breathing or irritation of the ENT pathways. Nearly half of the exposed patients required medical treatment. Of the five hospitalized patients, three were placed in intensive care.
Use products marked EAJ
To limit the risk of poisoning, ANSES and the CAPs recommend using only products bearing the statement “Use authorized in the garden” (EAJ). They correspond to so-called “biocontrol” products, to products qualified as low risk such as iron phosphate to fight against slugs, and to those that can be used in organic farming.
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