A new machine designed to strip away weeds and other unwanted vegetation has been purchased by the Government and appears to be both effective and environmentally friendly.

Through a combination of steam and foam, it delivers heat as the active ingredient. The Ministry of Public Works and Environment is using the equipment in a trial phase before deciding whether to purchase more for the island.

Jaché Adams, the Minister of Public Works and Environment, held a press conference today on South Road, Devonshire at the foot of Tee Street while a team from the Department of Public Works and Environment demonstrated the equipment in action.

Mr Adams said that since the Government stopped using glyphosate-based products such as Roundup, which are deemed to be potentially harmful to the environment and human health, the ministry had attempted about 13 alternative methods which had proved unsuccessful.

However, with the new Steamfoam machine now in use, it is hoped it can “tick both boxes” of being effective and kind to the environment.

Mr Adams said: “For quite some time now, we have had some challenges with vegetation, whether it be on the roadside or railway trails.

“Historically, we have used particular herbicide methods that have been deemed to be less environmentally friendly.

“As a result, we have tried on many occasions to try to address this roadside vegetation growth that we have which has been unsuccessful.

“We are encouraged by this new machine. The Government is not saying this is the silver bullet that will fix all of the vegetation issues but, recognising the historical challenges we have had not only trying to find an alternative option but one that is effective and environmentally friendly, what we are encouraged by thus far is that this new machine seems to be the answer to both.

“We will continue to use it and continue to give it the trial run, and if successful, we look to expand this in the near future.”

He said the machine, one of the smaller models on the market, comes at a cost of about $50,000.

It uses foam and steam to destroy the plant down to the root. The foam added to water, said to be made of plant-based ingredients, helps retain steam heat on the plant long enough to kill it.

Mr Adams said he was pleased with the results — and that, if it proves successful, the plan is to buy more, larger machines in the future.

Asked about the machine’s rate of removal, Mr Adams said results were “instant”.

Craig Burt, the highways superintendent, maintenance for the Department of Works and Engineering, said the quickest method had been roadside spraying of herbicides, which used vehicles rather than the handheld method for Steamfoam — but was not as safe for the environment.

Mr Adams said the highways section of the department had recently increased its manpower by about seven employees, which would help to speed up works.

Roundup contains the active ingredient glyphosate, which has been the subject of conflicting studies.

A 2019 University of Washington study on its cancer-causing potential found people with high exposures to pesticides containing glyphosate had a 41 per cent increased risk of developing non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of cancer.

A World Health Organisation study of the chemical announced in 2016 concluded that glyphosate was “probably carcinogenic to humans”.

However, a 2015 survey by the European Food Safety Authority concluded that the chemical was “unlikely to pose a carcinogenic hazard to humans”.

Roundup is still sold on the island in small concentrations.