[ABC 22 June 2015 by Jon Coghill and Bruce Atkinson] AUSTRALIA: Spraying weeds with synthetic chemicals could be a thing of the past in a few years if Australia's Sunshine Coast Council has its way. It is phasing out the use of controversial pesticide glyphosate - the active ingredient in Round Up - and introducing natural ways to control weeds, even though regulators from the State Government and CSIRO do not require them to. Parks manager Mark Presswell says council is concerned that research has shown glyphosate is a health hazard and harmful to the environment. He says they have reduced usage of the chemical by 20 per cent in the last two years. "We were using around 560 litres a year, we're around the 400 mark now," he said. "We've had no advice from our government or from the CSIRO in regard to any potential problems with glyphosate, but we're just being cautious and careful so we're just trying to limit the use and eventually phase it out." Mr Presswell says council has taken it lead from a World Health Organisation report that states glyphosate is probably carcinogenic to humans. This week France joined other countries like the Netherlands, Russia, Mexico and Sri Lanka in banning its sale from garden centres .