On 14/04/2012 16:57, Jake wrote:
On Sat, 14 Apr 2012 16:00:30 +0100, Martin Brown
wrote:

There are too many "Roundups" now and not all of them are pure
glyphosate. I object strenuously to Monsanto's extremely cavalier
attitude to GM crops and have always used generic products.

AFAIK there is no "Roundup" that is pure glyphosate. With the generic
product (Bayer) you know exactly what you're getting. I believe that
the essential difference with Roundup is the chemicals that minimise
run-off. There is a lot of research that indicates that those
chemicals are worse than glyphosate itself - hence the bad press that
glyphosate often gets by association. I use Roundup only very
occasionally when I particularly (REALLY particularly) want a quick
result.

You have failed to understand the chemistry of practical weedkiller
formulations. All of them *even* the generics contain powerful wetting
agents that are all more dangerous than the active ingredient.

I use Bayers product and the domestic one is something like an aqueous
solution of 10% glyphosate and 3% Ethoxylated tallow alkyl amines. The
latter being the more dangerous aggressive wetting agent.

I'm not saying that glyphosate is without its own issues, of course,
as no chemical will be. However used responsibly it does the job it's
designed to do with minimal environmental impact. I do have some
issues with the domestic version of Roundup but the "agricultural"
equivalent should have been banned years ago.

"Roundup(TM)" now covers a multitude of sins with not all of them having
only glyphosate as the active weedkiller ingredient. Some mixes sold to
home users seem to have a rapid kill component as well.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown