Shoreline has a new herbicide-free solution to address hard to reach weeds on City property

Shoreline grounds maintenance crewmember
using the new foam produce
Photo courtesy City of Shoreline

The City of Shoreline stopped using herbicides on a general basis years ago - which is why there are so many volunteer groups happily taking care of Shoreline parks.

There had been some limited, targeted use of herbicides for the control of noxious weeds in inaccessible natural areas or ROW, which required director approval. 

However, the city now has a new solution.

You may soon see grounds maintenance crews using a new technique to get rid of weeds. 

We have recently purchased Foamstream by Weedingtech. Foamstream is a herbicide-free solution to getting rid of weeds by using hot water (208°F) and a plant-based oil to create a foam that covers plants. 

The foam creates a barrier keeping the heat in giving it time to kill the leaves and move down the roots killing the weed. The foam dissipates within 10 to 20 minutes and is harmless to people and animals. 

We will be using Foamstream in the City’s rights-of-way to start but additional applications are in the works for some park areas.

Crewmembers applying new foam treatment
Photo courtesy City of Shoreline

Foamstream is the world’s leading herbicide-free weed control solution. It kills unwanted vegetation, including weeds, moss, and algae, using the precise application of hot water insulated by a specially formulated biodegradable and organic foam. 

The purchase of the Foamstream is intended to allow for a different approach to weed control while continuing with the pesticide/herbicide-free approach residents, and workers, have been accustomed to. 

In addition to our new tool for fighting weeds, we have also just received our first all-electric mower made by Mean Green Electric Mowers. It has a run time of up to 8 hours and will be deployed into parks for mowing as early as next week.