A homeowner couldn't hold back their disgust after a neighbor recklessly used a common herbicide that is more dangerous than many would expect.
One Redditor explained their gripe in the r/NoLawns subreddit, declaring, "Nothing like enjoying a beautiful spring day when your neighbor comes out with RoundUp!!" The neighbor apparently relies heavily on the dangerous product and appears to be unaware of the potentially damaging effects it carries.
"I am now back inside while my neighbors spray their roundup in their rocks, on the side of their house, the front of their house, directly into their own eyeballs since they don't have a mask or gloves or anything at all," the homeowner wrote. "They do it all the time too, as soon as it's Spring, they're out there spraying the s***."
While spraying Roundup in your yard might seem like a quick fix for weed control, it's important to be aware of the potential risks.
Roundup's primary active ingredient, glyphosate, has been linked to various harmful health effects such as nervous system damage, brain damage, and an increased risk of certain types of cancer, according to research published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences and experts at the University of Washington. The product has even been banned in several countries, according to Consumer Notice, though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveals it is still commonly used in the United States, and a Penn State Extension page makes the case that it's likely only carcinogenic in high doses.
Naturally, commenters shared the homeowner's sentiments.
"I feel like I'm taking crazy pills. Have they not heard about insect collapse? It should be banned," one user wrote, referring to the discovery, published in National Geographic, that toxic pesticides have contributed to a sharp decline in insect populations.
"I'm in the same boat, friend. Three years of carcinogens inches from my weedy, urban, pollinator-filled, food-producing plot," another user commented. "Make it make sense."
If you're dealing with weeds in your garden, this guide can help you combat them without relying on harmful chemicals. After all, alternative methods like pulling them by hand, laying down cardboard to smother them, or using boiling water could also be effective.
As the homeowner added: "Hilariously, it doesn't stop the honeysuckle from taking over. Their constant grass seeding doesn't stop the clover. But by God there isn't a single weed poking out through those rocks!!! And [none] of their flowers ever grow either, can't imagine why."
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