Are there any environmentally friendly alternatives to using chemical weed killers like Roundup?
— Wyatt Walley, Needham, MA The active ingredient in Monsantos Roundup, glyphosate, is a known toxin. This is, of course, why it is so successful in eradicating pesky weeds. In fact, glyphosate is the most commonly used pesticide in the United States, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that over five million pounds of it are used in American yards and gardens annually. According to Caroline Cox, staff scientist at the Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides (NCAP), gardeners wouldnt use Roundup if they knew about all of the problems attributed to its use. For instance, ingesting about three-fourths of a cup can be lethal. And symptoms of just casual contact can include eye and skin irritation, lung congestion and erosion of the intestinal tract. Monsantos Roundup has also been linked to cancer, miscarriages and genetic damage in humans, so its no wonder that NCAP and other organizations are pushing for safer alternatives. Environmentally, the produ
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