Over half of councils in the UK continue to use pesticides in public spaces, such as parks, playgrounds, and pavements, despite environmental and health concerns.
Freedom of information (FOI) responses from 368 town, city, borough, district and county councils found that 45% are trying to end or reduce their pesticide use.
Almost half (47%) didn’t use pesticides on playing fields in 2024, a third (34%) kept cemeteries pesticide-free and a quarter (26%) managed their parks and green spaces without pesticides.
Nick Mole from the Pesticide Action Network UK (PAN UK), the campaign group that issued the FOI requests, commented: ‘While there is still work to do, this survey shows that the pesticide-free movement is growing.’
The overuse of pesticides has been linked to declines in wildlife and can sometimes lead to the contamination of rivers and lakes.
Glyphosate is by far the most widely used pesticide in urban areas, despite being linked to the development of a variety of cancers and other diseases, according to PAN UK.
A Local Government Association spokesperson said many councils were exploring alternative weed management approaches but added the alternatives were ‘generally more expensive.’
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