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The City of Vero Beach has started a pilot program using a non-glyphosate product to eliminate weeds on city property, similar to changes made in Indian River County and Sebastian. In this photo, taken in October, community members tour Indian River County's Osprey Acres, where county officials are using a non-glphosate product to control weeds.(Photo: PATRICK DOVE/TCPALM)

VERO BEACH Following Sebastian and Indian River County, which last year stopped using weed killers with glyphosate the chemical in Roundupthe city is trying a more-natural approach.

Vero Beach is testing the weed killerWhack Out Weeds, or W.O.W., which contains natural soaps and salts. It's being used in the city cemetery, where shell beds for the headstones seem to be a breeding ground for weeds,City Manager Monte Falls said.

Glyphosate used in commercial weed killerssuch as Roundup has been linked to cancer and possibly to algae blooms, so many government agencies are trying alternative methods.

Results have been positive, Falls said. W.O.W. seems to be keeping the weeds away, even after six weeks, he said.

"It's a proactive thing," Falls told the City Council last month. "We are trying anything we can to keep chemicals out of the natural environment."

W.O.W. has been used in similar tests in Sebastian.

In September 2018, Stuart stopped using the product, followed by Martin County last year. In November, Sebastian implemented a six-month moratorium on the products at parks and a one-year ban on using it along the waterway.

Last year, Indian River County stopped using glyphosate at 40 county parks and Sandridge Golf Course. The county currently uses a similar product, called Tribune,to control weeds at its storm-water park and nature preserve Osprey Acres.

Sebastian City Manager Paul Carlisle has told Sebastian City Council preliminary tests have shown W.O.W. surpassed Roundup in its ability to control weeds. The cityis also testing the product on aquatic weeds.

More: Roundup weed killer ban: Indian River County is latest to stop using glyphosate herbicide

More: Sebastian temporary lifting weed-spraying ban for limited test of W.O.W alternative

Vero Beach staff members still are experimenting with W.O.W. to determine the cost of using it citywide, Falls said. Ifit continues to be effective, Falls said, he likely will include it in the fiscal 2021 budget to see how it works over a full year.

Glyphosate used in commercial weed killerssuch as Roundup has been linked to cancer and possibly to algae blooms, so many government agencies are trying alternative methods.

More: Is FWC feeding Lake Okeechobee algae blooms with Roundup and other glyphosate herbicides?

More: Martin County stops using glyphosate, found in Roundup, due to cancer, toxic algal blooms

Janet Begley contributed to this report.

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Vero Beach testing glyphosate-free weed killer to help reduce chemical contamination of Lagoon - TCPalm