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RE: Glyphosate and pets

OK this is an easy one

Glyphosate has an LD 50 (lethal dose 50%, ie the amount  an individual
would need to consume per kilo of body weight and have a 50% chance of
surviving) of 4300 mg per kg.  (4.3 grams per 1000 grams)
This figure is reached by testing on lab rats and is a standard measure
used for ranking any substance that may be regulated in its use or
application.

Now this may not sound like much but remember that Caffeine has an LD50
of 150 mg/kg
and aspirin has an LD 50 of 750 mg/kg and good old common salt is 3000
mg/kg!

Put another way, if Glyphosate was applied a rate of one litre per
Hectare which is a fairly common rate of use then there is an film of
active ingredient over that area equivalent to either 380 grams  per
Hectare (yellow) or 420 grams per Hectare (blue) , depending on the
strength of the Glyphosate product you purchased. 

A 5 kilogram dog would then need to eat or at least lick up 5 kg x 4.3
grams = 21.5 grams of Glyphosate to get an even chance of dieing.  This
equates to eating (or licking up) 565  square meters of treated surface
at the lower level  or Glyphosate concentration. (0.038 grams of active
per square meter treated)

I know that dogs like to have the odd munch of grass very now and then
and certainly enjoy rolling and sleeping on the best bits of the lawn
:-) but your not spraying your lawn I would guess, and if your only spot
treating and using neat (undiluted) herbicide the same principles still
apply.

Most herbicides registered these days have very low toxicity levels, on
par or even lower than Glyphoste.
Makers are aware that toxicity is an issue and many times don't even
bother to try and register the more toxic herbicides that may turn up in
their testing.

INSECTICIDES  are a completely different issue, don't ever be fooled by
advertising that says it is
"a completely safe pesticide"  apart from a small range of dessicants
based on silica crystals and diatomatous earth (Dryacide is the
registered name I know) and some Fungal suspensions you can spray on
caterpillers and insecticide that kills by disrupting the nervous system
will effect any animal including people.  We all have the same basic
nervous system design and its only the dose difference between what
kills a fruit fly and what kills a person.

You should be able to ask for the Material Saftey data sheets on any
registered Pesticide, you certainly can in Australia, and any supplier
that dosent have them should be able to direct you to a source, either
the manufacturer or the local Health Department.

I know I have been a bit long winded but this is an important issue to
many people and I am constantly seeing CHEMICALS being harranged in the
press and by people who obvioulsy don't know what they are saying,
remember you are 100% CHEMICALS.  Its the nature of the chemical that
needs to be determined
not the convenient label.  How often have you seen the headline
"Chemical spill closes freeway...."
Yet never any mention of what Chemical was actually involved, reporters
should do their homework!

Off my Soapbox  :-)

Cheers, Rod

Rod Randall
Weed Risk Assessment
Weed Science Group, Agriculture Western Australia
Home Page  http://www.agric.wa.gov.au/progserv/plants/weeds/Weedsci.htm

             "I weed..."

> ----------
> From: 	Marina & Anthony Green
> Reply To: 	green@pangeanet.it
> Sent: 	Tuesday, 6 January 1998 6:57 PM
> To: 	medit-plants@ucdavis.edu
> Subject: 	Glyphosate and pets
> 
> I bought some glyphosate after all of your immensely useful
> recommendations, but the store-owner told me to keep any pets away for
> at least 24 hours, and the Italian instructions looked fairly scary.
> Before I start my marathon, I must ask what precautions other listers
> have taken (or not taken and paid the price) with glyphosate and
> pets?"
> 
> 
>
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