Overgrown weeds taking over Logan’s footpaths, gardens and gutters are set to take a hit from a Queensland-first weed sensor.
Local council has employed an innovate sensor that uses an infra-red beam to detect weeds in cracks or pavement joins and target them directly with herbicide.
Not only is this said to speed up the weeding process, which typically takes up to a year to complete, council says the truck-mounted sensor does the job in “an environmentally friendly way”.
“The sensor is triggered by the presence of the pigment chlorophyll in weeds,” a council statement said.
“It the applies a targeted and precise application of herbicide, which reduces overall chemical usage and minimises harm to non-target plants and ecosystems.”
The new technology comes at no extra cost to the taxpayer, council says, and will help minimise weed growth in drains and stormwater.
Logan is the first council in Queensland to acquire and use the technology from the United States.
