News / pesticides
Pesticide debate rears its head once again
Many residents have been disappointed to learn there will be no change in pesticide policy despite the Green Party now holding almost half of the seats at City Hall.
Campaigners had hoped for a more positive response to their calls to ban glyphosate spraying in residential streets, given the shift in council leadership. Studies suggest the chemical is harmful to health and its use is restricted in the EU, with partial or total bans in many countries round the world.
But they have been told the status quo will remain for the time being. Residents are still required to actively opt-out for their street to remain unsprayed with glyphosate, which Bristol Waste uses for weed control.
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“Bristol’s Wildlife Groups criticised the local Labour administration for using poisons to destroy so-called weeds growing in streets,” BS3 Wildlife Group secretary Ben Barker told Bristol24/7.
“But it looks as if the new Green Party-led council will be continuing with this dangerous, costly and rather ineffective method.”
Glyphosate was labelled ‘probably carcinogenic’ by the World Health Organisation’s cancer agency in 2015. Wildlife organisations want to ban the chemical for the blanket damage it does to wild plants, pollinators, soil health and other elements of the natural world.
Residents of BS3 campaigned for an end to local street spraying last year, fearing the chemical’s destruction of wild plants, toxic impact on front garden vegetables and herbs, and health ramifications for people and pets.
A BS3 resident said a ‘do not spray’ sign she put up last year to save the wildflowers in her garden and on the road was ignored by contractors – photo: Anon
The response from the council and Bristol Waste was to implement an ‘opt-out’ policy whereby residents must petition each household and provide formal written notice of the street’s decision to the council’s Waste Management Department.
In what campaigners viewed as overly-onerous bureaucracy, they were then required to undertake regular maintenance of the weeds themselves, with a named organiser supervising work parties of volunteers wearing hi-vis vests, with road blocks to prevent traffic danger and a qualified first aider standing by.
Despite the Green Party’s anti-pesticide stance, the current council has reiterated this policy.
In an email seen by Bristol24/7, a Green councillor said: “We are not yet in a place where Bristol Waste has come up with an alternative, this is going to take some time and will have costs attached that need to be found from somewhere but it will be worked on.
“In the meantime…[in] the system they have agreed…residents can come together to keep the street relatively free of massive plants that may threaten pavement slabs or become intrusive.”
Bristol has been debating the issue for many years, and joined the nationwide ‘pesticide amnesty’ to support nature in 2021 – photo: Barbara Evripidou
The Labour administration pledged to reduce the use of glyphosate by 50 per cent as part of its Ecological Emergency Action Plan.
Former cabinet member for climate and ecology, Marley Bennett, said the council had only reduced its use by 18 per cent across its own land, because 50 per cent “is a challenging target to meet.”
He cited a Cardiff trial that used a hot foam substitute which “was ten times the cost of using pesticides… We need to be looking at new technologies and alternatives if we’re going to cut it down drastically.”
But other places such as Glastonbury in Somerset and Lewes in Sussex have successfully implemented a ban.
Ben and other residents are exasperated with the heel-dragging of the local authority that is halting easy progress they are keen to make in their community.
“It would take most people, say, ten minutes a month with a simple tool to clear plants from their bits of pavement,” he said. “But many people – and insects – like wildflowers. A few have even planted their own!”
Councillor Martin Fodor, chair of the council’s new Environment and Sustainability committee, explained it will take time for new policies to be established:
“Until we get advice from officers and debate it there can’t be a change in the current arrangements. I know this seems frustrating,” he said. “But there is no Mayor now: there are politically proportionate groups who will meet in public and every resident can bring questions, statements and petitions to these new decision making committees.
“It increases access and a chance for debate of all points of view. Committees will get evidence from other places as well as input from stakeholders.
“When decisions are made the council can publicise them. Until then contracts are still being delivered by the contractor.”
Main photo: Ellie Pipe
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