Gardeners unknowingly adding to Australia's $4 billion/year weed problem
25 Oct 2005
WWF-Australia is urging governments and the garden industry to implement a national mandatory labelling scheme for invasive garden plants.
The scheme's aim is to enable gardeners to identify invasive plants before they buy them and how to minimise the chance of weeds jumping the back fence.
Invasive garden plants are the major source of Australia's weeds and make up 70% of environmental and agricultural weeds.
A new WWF report, The Costs and Benefits of a Proposed Mandatory Invasive Species Labelling Scheme, highlights that such a scheme should be a cornerstone of a broader education program to reduce the risk posed by invasive garden plants.
Urgent action is needed as Australia's $4 billion a year weed problem is poised to get worse.
There are 4,700 known weeds in Australia that have the potential to escape and invade bushlands or agricultural lands, according to new analysis by Australia's premier weed research body; the Weeds CRC. 80% or about 3,700 of these weeds are invasive garden plants that have the potential to jump the back fence.
"At the moment, most gardeners are blind to the fact that they are playing a significant part in Australia's weed problem by buying invasive plants and planting them in areas where they can easily escape," Andreas Glanznig, WWF's Senior Policy Adviser, said.
"Voluntary labelling schemes have failed in the past. People must know that their buying choices can have major impacts on our native plants and animals, and our food supplies through degraded agricultural systems.
"There is a need to learn from the experience of failed voluntary labelling and move straight to a national mandatory labelling scheme. We need to empower consumers to help stop invasive garden plants escaping from gardens.
"A national mandatory labelling scheme would complement national bans of the sale of high risk agricultural and environmental weeds."
For more information
Andreas Glanznig, WWF-Australia Senior Policy Adviser
Mobile: 0417 020 174
