2011 April: Girraween (NSW) Du Pont Spray Drift. Pesticide: Metsulfuron Methyl

In April 2011 vegetation and trees within one kilometre of an area near Magowar Road,
Girraween suffered symptoms of dieback. An initial investigation by the Environment ProtectionAuthority (EPA) found that the dieback was due to a herbicide, called Metsulfuron
-methyl. Thistype of herbicide is manufactured by Du Pont (Australia) Ltd at 179 Magowar Road, Girraween.
The EPA and the Ministry of Health assessed the impact and advised affected residents that
the herbicide identified was of very low toxicity to humans. After an extensive investigation, theEPA commenced a prosecution of Du Pont in the Land and Environment Court over the
incident.
As a result of the herbicide incident, a number of large trees in the area died and posed a riskto local residents. On 23 November 2011, NSW Minister for the Environment, Robyn Parker,announced that the government had authorised funding of up to $200,000 from the
Environmental Trust’s Emergency Clean Up and Orphan Waste fundto assist in the removal ofa number of large and dangerous trees.
https://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/pollution/girraween.htm
Also see: https://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/resources/pollution/TreeDiebackGirraween.pdf