According to government reports, the chemicals used in cotton cultivation are most likely the cause of tree leaf loss in parts of central and western New South Wales, and may pose a threat to human health.
The report of a technical expert from the New South Wales Department of Industry is the first formal analysis of this phenomenon. This phenomenon leads to Narrome, near Tarangi and Warren, south to Darlington Point near Hailin and north The herders in the Burke area were puzzled.
Bruce Maynard’s grandmother and great-grandmother planted pepper trees on the Narromine Golf Course in the 1920s, and he believes that these trees have died from exposure to chemicals sprayed on nearby cotton fields.
Zanthoxylum bungeanum is an evergreen evergreen plant. Certain eucalyptus species shed their leaves every year. This coincides with cotton growers using aerial spray to defoliate crops, which raises concerns about other potential hazards of exposure to this chemical .
But on cotton belts in the state, spray drift may be the cause of tree flaking, which has caused controversy. The mayor of Narromine, Craig Davies, a former spray contractor, said that the fallen leaves were caused by drought.
The New South Wales Environmental Protection Agency has repeatedly told the complainant that the only way to prove that spray drift is the cause of the loss of leaves of non-target species is to test within two days of spray activity, which may be before symptoms appear.
However, the New South Wales Department of Industry report obtained by The Herald under the Freedom of Information Act concluded in May 2018 that the loss of leaves was “absolutely not the result of environmental conditions (such as prolonged drought)”.
“This is probably the result of large-scale spraying. The temperature reversal caused the fine chemical particles to move more than expected. In other non-cotton growing areas, the symptoms of pepper trees are not obvious.”
The risks of spray drift include: conflicts between farmer groups, the possibility of legal action, the possibility of people selling agricultural products with trace residues, and the impact on human health, because “chemical substances have unknown effects, especially Long-term low-dose exposure”. The report recommends community mediation led by an independent person to minimize community unrest and reduce spray drift in the next season.
Maynard said: “The pepper trees show clear evidence that we are in contact with something every year, in all our regions and towns.” “In the long run, this involves two things: health and our business. Because we are facing uncontrollable risks.”
The report did not mention chemicals that could deviate from the target. Defoliants for cotton include clothianidin, metformin and dilong, which are related to the destruction of the Great Barrier Reef and are scheduled to be cancelled in the EU starting in September.
Grazier Colin Hamilton (Grazier Colin Hamilton) said that when they had to declare that the pasture was free of pollutants, the dripping leaves made beef producers difficult because there was no confirmation of the presence of chemicals, but the evidence showed it’s not true.
Hamilton said: “But closer to home, most people in our area drink rainwater from the roof.” “It may have an impact on human health.”
However, Adam Kay, chief executive of Cotton Australia, said there was “zero evidence” that pesticides were the cause of leaf fall. Preventing spray drifting away from the target is the primary task of the entire agriculture to ensure the safety of the community and the environment.
Kay said: “Since 1993, the use of biotechnology and integrated pest control in cotton has reduced the use of pesticides by 95%.”
Leslie Weston, a professor of plant biology at Charles Sturt University, also supports the mayor’s argument that drought is more likely to be attributable. Some affected trees are 10 kilometers away from the nearest cotton farm.
Professor Weston said: “I personally don’t think this particular herbicide will kill trees unless they border the field and spray it off-site, allowing root absorption or transfer from shoots.” “If herbicide damage is widespread , People usually see nearby citrus or other perennial plants being damaged.”
The New South Wales Environmental Protection Agency stated that in the past two years, it has conducted three vegetation and water quality tests in Narromine and Trangie areas, and no pesticides have been found, but it is very important for complaints of excessive spraying within two days , Because the residue will dissipate quickly. .
An EPA spokesperson said: “The EPA has promised to conduct pre-spray and post-spray inspections in the next spray season to check vegetation conditions and collect plant samples for testing immediately after spraying.”
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