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Does Roundup Contaminate Soil for Gardening?
Does Roundup Contaminate Soil for Gardening?. Whether in the flower garden, vegetable garden or the cracks of a sidewalk, nobody likes weeds. When Roundup, a strong herbicide, came on the market, gardeners and farmers believed their weedy woes were behind them. However, Roundup may be causing as many problems as it solves.
Whether in the flower garden, vegetable garden or the cracks of a sidewalk, nobody likes weeds. When Roundup, a strong herbicide, came on the market, gardeners and farmers believed their weedy woes were behind them. However, Roundup may be causing as many problems as it solves.
Glysophate and Surfactants
Glyphosate is a broad spectrum herbicide and a main active ingredient in Roundup. A surfactant is a chemical that helps glyphosate to penetrate tough plant cells. Both chemicals are toxic to humans and animals. Together, their toxicity increases exponentially.
Microorganisms
According to Robert Kremer, a microbiologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service, glyphosate changes soil composition and disrupts the normal balance of microorganisms in the soil, leading to an increase in fungal growth and harmful bacteria.
Nitrogen
Plants such as legumes fix nitrogen from the atmosphere into the soil by relying on the beneficial bacteria rhizobia. The glyphosate in Roundup inhibits rhizobia, preventing the natural and necessary addition of nitrogen to the soil.
Persistence
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has called the glyphosate in Roundup "extremely persistent" because of its lengthy half life (the time it takes for half of the amount of glyphosate applied to break down). In studies from around the world, glyphosate has been present in the soil up to three years after the initial application.
