The County of Hawaii Public Works Department announced Tuesday plans to end the use of glyphosate-based herbicides on County roadsides, drainage structures, rights-of-ways, and easements by July 1.
Glyphosate is a common weedkiller that in 2015 was listed by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer as a probable human carcinogen.
“The Department has been working for some time to develop alternative means and methods to achieve maintenance of County infrastructure without the reliance on chemical herbicides,” said Public Works Director Steve Pause. “We believe this day has arrived.”
Hawaii previously became the first state to ban sprays that contain chlorpyrifos, a chemical used to control worms and insects.
In 2019, the Hawaii Board of Education also opted to ban herbicides on school grounds.
Mayor Mitch Roth stated in a release he supports using non-chemical herbicides.
“We have a real opportunity to put our money where our mouth is and invest in better management systems that put our ‘aina and our people’s health first,” Roth said in a release. “This is something that the community has been asking for quite some time, and we applaud the efforts of Director Pause for his commitment to getting this done.”
Hawaii County has been pushing for herbicide bans on public property for several years.
In 2019, the council was the first local government in the state to ban the use of 30 herbicides over four years on public property, which includes parks and areas alongside roads, bikeways, sidewalks, trails, drainage, and waterways owned or maintained by the county.
“Transitioning to alternate methods of road maintenance is the right thing to do for our people, our lands, and our waters. I cried when I heard the news,” said District 7 County Council Member Rebecca Villegas in a release. “After years of working towards this vital transition, our community can celebrate positive changes in our County’s land management practices.”