non-selective weedkiller

On previous landscaping projects after preparing ground .. have given the area a dusting with a non-selective weed-killer, then laid Geotex weed membrane on top.


The product I used was Boracil (aka Bromacil).... but this is no longer on sale.
This was a broad spectrum herbicides for non-selective weed killing, it entered plants via roots not vis leaves.

Councils used it under tarmac when laying pavements.


Most weed-killers need leaf growth to allow take down to roots .... in this instance there is no left growth, being used as preventative.
Which would rule out 2,4-D products (and presumably 2,4,5-T)



Anybody aware of a good replacement, or do I need to go back to basic Sodium Chlorate.

Loads of posts on line that Sodium Chlorate has been banned from sale since 2008 and cannot be used after 10th May 2010 ..

Yet it is on sale on Amazon ?

 

won't kill Mares tail though, which is one thing I want to hit.

 

Clearly being sold as a weedkiller:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Industrial-..._sim_lp_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=1ZCJRJFB5CG83SSM39KJ

 

So it is, I can't comment on the legality of this, but if you look at the questions those relating to legality and whether it contains a fire retardant are unanswered.
Many of the older compounds "banned" by the EU were removed from the permitted list on economic grounds. Companies decided that it wasn't cost effective to do the work required to remain on the list. Hence the disappearance of Ammonium sulphamate from the shelves. This is still available via Amazon or e Bay.
Bayer sell a product called Ground Clear as a modern alternative to sodium chlorate.

 

Not being sold by Amazon though, but rather "Amazon Marketplace". I don't suppose Amazon check what people are selling, unless someone complains.

Up to you if you want to use it (I expect you can buy it on eBay etc. too ...), and I haven't checked recently, but maybe the EU had sensible reasons for banning it? (I'm thinking of Creosote that was banned and subsequent research has shown that all the carcinogenic indications which were the original worry have since been found not to be a problem ... that hasn't been reinstated though ...)

 

Weedkiller containing Dichlobenil is used to spray the formation under pavings and is effective against marestail.

EDIT: Looks like the EU have now banned it.

 

This

http://ec.europa.eu/food/plant/protection/evaluation/existactive/list_chlorate.pdf

seems to say that the reasons for the ban (after you get past all the EuroBureaucratBabble):

the information available is insufficient to satisfy the requirements set out in Annex II
and Annex III Directive 91/414/EEC in particular with regard to

• unacceptable exposure on operators
• the need for further data to establish a definitive AOEL
• the need for further data to assess the leaching of a relevant metabolite to
groundwater

So there is risk to the operator (take more care than you might have done before ), and there is risk of the chemical leaching (I've stopped using it for that reason, as after heavy rain lawn etc. adjacent to treated driveways was killed). No idea if leaching to groundwater is an issue, nor did the EU, as clearly noone was prepared to do the tests to prove it, one way or 'tother, because they would not have a Patent/Monopoly to recoup the costs of the test

 

Is it cheaper to get in crystal form from ebay? (from Turkey)

2lbs
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Weedkille...844?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item417d2f47ec

4lbs
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Weedkille...299?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4180c60503

Wonder what will happen if Turkey joins the EU, will they stop them from selling it to us, or just force them to sell it by the Kilo?