Another Perth council is planning to stick to chemical control of weeds rather than alternative methods because of the cost.
Last month the City of Vincent voted against testing weed control without using glyphosate after staff warned an alternative method would be 20 times more expensive.
Town of Bassendean staff are now recommending their council change their weed control contract to include more chemical spraying partly because of the cost.
Greensteam Australia and Environmental Industries have contracts for weed control in the town which expire on October 2.
Town staff have recommended the contracts be extended for a year but amended so that chemical controls instead of steam are used to control weeds on local roads.
Steam would still be used on “high frequency sensitive areas”.
The Town has set aside $135,812 in its 2023-24 budget for weed control.
Corporate services director Paul White said the budget was developed on the assumption the weed control contracts would be changed.
He said if the council changed its mind, more money would have to be found somewhere.
“Steam weeding is of limited utility for a wide variety of weeds and it’s also very expensive,” Mr White said.
“It’s close to $100,000 a year more expensive than what is being proposed.”
Sustainability and environment executive manager Nicole Davey said steam control used a lot more water and diesel than herbicide applications.
“It (the reason for the change) was primarily the effectiveness of the different options of treatment as well as the cost,” she said.
The next weed control treatment in the town is scheduled for November.
Property owners in the town can join a “no spray” list but must agree to keep verges next to their property weed-free.
The Town is a member of the WALGA local government herbicide use and integrated weed management working group which is looking at new methods of weed control.
“I’m assuming there are no great revolutionary new changes on the horizon,” mayor Kath Hamilton said.
On its website, the Town says it aims to minimise the use of chemical-based pesticides to control weeds and pests.
Alternative weed control method trials recently held by the town include using acetic and hydrochloric acid and electric weeding.