Pesticide use by London Councils

Through a series of Freedom of Information requests, PAN UK is able to provide details of pesticide use by each individual London borough as laid out below:

BARKING AND DAGENHAM

The information below was provided by Barking and Dagenham Council to PAN UK in September 2021 in response to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request. It has not been verified or altered by PAN UK. Where the information provided was inconsistent or contradictory it has been highlighted.

The most recent full year for which data was available was 2020. This profile was published in April 2022.

The council directly manages the following areas: Parks, open spaces, housing estates.

The council also employs a contractor: Complete Weed Control.

The contractor manages the following areas on behalf of the council: Highways (pavements, tree pits, verges). Housing estates, parks, cemeteries.

Total amount of pesticides (herbicides) used by year:

2018 – 540 litres
2019 – 720 litres
2020 – 695 litres

Pesticides used by the council and its contractors:
Please note that this list only includes products approved under the UK’s regulatory system for plant protection products (and therefore excludes biocidal products).

What policies does the council have in place to drive pesticide reduction?

The Council does not have a pesticide policy. They told PAN UK that they have some reduction measures in place for parks and open spaces, including applying mulches to shrub beds, hand weeding, purchasing pedestrian mechanical brushes, and diluting and reducing the dose of glyphosate in their spray packs.

Other biodiversity measures?*

The Council declared a climate emergency in January 2020, with no specific mention of pollinators or pesticides.

The Council also developed a Green Infrastructure and Biodiversity Strategy in 2019. This states that “maximising biodiversity is key to all the elements that make up successful green infrastructure” and details different measures to increase green corridors and biodiversity habitats across the borough. It also briefly mentions that “the use of herbicide on grassland strips should be avoided” but no further detail is given.

*These can be used as an opportunity – councils are undermining their own positive measures by continuing to use pesticides.

BARNET

The information below was provided by Barnet Council to PAN UK in September 2021 in response to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request. It has not been verified or altered by PAN UK. Where the information provided was inconsistent or contradictory it has been highlighted.

The most recent full year for which data was available was 2020. This profile was published in April 2022.

The council directly manages the following areas: Parks, playgrounds and highway and housing shrub beds.

The council also employs a contractor: Weedfree Limited

The contractor manages the following areas on behalf of the council: Highways (pavements, tree pits, verges).

Total amount of pesticides (herbicides) used by year:

2018 – 105 litres (Likely to be a significant underestimate because some 2018 figures were unavailable)
2019 – 2,696 litres
2020 – 3,483.5 litres

Pesticides used by the council and its contractor:
Please note that this list only includes products approved under the UK’s regulatory system for plant protection products (and therefore excludes biocidal products).

What policies does the council have in place to drive pesticide reduction?

Barnet Council has a Pesticide Policy for their parks and open spaces in which they state that they use a varied approach to weed control, which includes both “the use of glyphosate on a minimal and targeted basis” and mulching and membranes on beds, mechanical brushing and manual weed removal.

While they say that they “recognise the importance of closely managing the use and distribution of pesticides and herbicides”, they make no mention of reducing or phasing-out their use. They explain that glyphosate is still legal in the UK and that, to date, the complaints they receive about weeds outweigh complaints about the continued use of pesticides.

In their Green Infrastructure document from 2017 they encourage golf courses to use “the minimum amount of chemicals to maintain healthy turf”.

Other biodiversity measures?*

The Council rejected passing a climate emergency in June 2021, but has a Sustainability Strategy in place with key targets to “protect and restore threatened species and habitats” and “support biodiversity in built environments”. Barnet Council’s Local Plan also focuses on “unlocking the potential of parks and open spaces” and highlights the importance of green spaces in improving biodiversity.

The Parks and Open Spaces Strategy details actions for the council to “enhance the borough’s rich mix of habitats and protect the borough’s green infrastructure from the impacts of climate change”, including creating new green spaces and networks.

*These can be used as an opportunity – councils are undermining their own positive measures by continuing to use pesticides.

BEXLEY

The information below was provided by Bexley Council to PAN UK in September 2021 in response to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request. It has not been verified or altered by PAN UK. Where the information provided was inconsistent or contradictory it has been highlighted.

The most recent full year for which data was available was 2020. This profile was published in April 2022.

The council directly manages the following areas: None. *We don’t know how their highways (pavements, tree pits, verges, shrub beds) are managed.

The council also employs a contractor: Tivoli Group

The contractor manages the following areas on behalf of the council: Various locations in parks including playgrounds, ornamental features, hard and soft surfaces.

Total amount of pesticides (herbicides) used by year:

2018 – 70 litres
2019 – 100 litres
2020 – 110 litres

(Likely to be an underestimate because the Council did not provide information on how highways – pavements, tree pits and verges – are maintained.)

*The Council did not report on the pesticides they may use to manage highways.

What policies does the council have in place to drive pesticide reduction?

Bexley Council doesn’t have any pesticide policies, and didn’t share any measures they have in place to reduce pesticide use, or trial alternative weed management methods.

Other biodiversity measures?*

Bexley Council has not declared a climate or ecological emergency. However, it does have an Environmental Planning Strategy from 2011 that is still in use and includes a target to “protect and, wherever possible, enhance the borough’s biodiversity and open spaces, including the successful delivery of environmental regeneration schemes”.

The council’s Open Space Strategy details the measures the borough will adopt to enhance biodiversity, including habitat creation in allotments and cemeteries, promoting the inclusion of natural areas within parks, and creating new wildlife corridors.

The Council also has planning policies and guidance related to conservation, heritage and biodiversity in the borough. They look at specific protected species and sites across the borough that impact planning requirements, and also outline ways in which residents can get involved to help biodiversity. However, they make no explicit statement on pollinators or pesticides.

*These can be used as an opportunity – councils are undermining their own positive measures by continuing to use pesticides.

BRENT

The information below was provided by Brent Council to PAN UK in September 2021 in response to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request. It has not been verified or altered by PAN UK. Where the information provided was inconsistent or contradictory it has been highlighted.

The most recent full year for which data was available was 2020. This profile was published in April 2022.

The council directly manages the following areas: None

The council also employs a contractor: Veolia

The contractor manages the following areas on behalf of the council: Sports pitches, housing estates, parks and open spaces, and highways (pavements, tree pits, verges, shrub beds).

Total amount of pesticides (herbicides) used by year:

2018 – 843 litres
2019 – 781.2 litres
2020 – 728.9 litres

What policies does the council have in place to drive pesticide reduction?

Brent Council have committed to reducing pesticides in their parks and open spaces in their Biodiversity Action Plan in order to maintain and enhance biodiversity.

The Council told PAN UK that they ran a demonstration of Foamstream (a machine which kills plants using non-chemical hot foam) but determined that it was too noisy (requiring a generator on a vehicle) and therefore not practical for managing their street weeds. In 2021, they also undertook a trial in which they left plants to grow in ten streets in one area. They are in the process of monitoring the effectiveness of the trial, including by speaking with local residents.

Other biodiversity measures?*

The Council declared a climate emergency in July 2019 and developed a Climate and Ecological Emergency Strategy which runs until 2030. They include ‘nature and green space’ as a key topic in their strategy, with the aims to “improve biodiversity through the greening of existing council buildings in our green spaces; re-wild unused pockets of land; create green travel corridors; expand the bee corridor; create rain gardens; and develop partnerships on community planting and food growing, amongst other things.”

The strategy also mentions the plan to develop a Brent Environmental Network, “for sustained and ongoing engagement with communities on tackling the climate and ecological emergency and achieving the council’s sustainability aims for the borough.”

The Council’s Biodiversity Action Plan details a range of measures they are putting in place, including changing how they maintain grass verges, trialling more wildlife-friendly wildflower and grass mixes, and creating new wildlife networks such as their ‘bee corridor’ initiative.

*These can be used as an opportunity – councils are undermining their own positive measures by continuing to use pesticides.

BROMLEY

The information below was provided by Bromley Council to PAN UK in September 2021 in response to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request. It has not been verified or altered by PAN UK. Where the information provided was inconsistent or contradictory it has been highlighted.

The most recent full year for which data was available was 2020. This profile was published in April 2022.

The council directly manages the following areas: None

The council also employs contractors: 1. ID Verde. 2. Veolia.

The contractor manages the following areas on behalf of the council: 1. Parks and open spaces. 2. Highways (pavements, tree pits, verges).

Total amount of pesticides (herbicides) used by year:

2018 – 1,062 litres
2019 – 1,306 litres
2020 – 935 litres

What policies does the council have in place to drive pesticide reduction?

The Council have a pesticide reduction policy in place for parks and open spaces which sits within their Environment and Community Services (ECS) Portfolio plan. It includes a commitment to reduce glyphosate (herbicide) usage by 90% by 2025. The Council told PAN UK that, since 2019, their contractor ID Verde have adopted a Foamstream machine in conjunction with manual methods such as brush cutters and hand weeding.

The Council mentions in the ECS Portfolio plan that they will conduct a “review of street cleansing operations” on a quarterly basis, but make no commitment to reducing pesticides as a main goal is to “maintain high levels of resident satisfaction with the street cleansing service”. Veolia conducted a cost analysis for a foam spray alternative but told us it proved ‘unviable’ at this moment in time.

Other biodiversity measures?*

The Council have not passed a climate emergency, but do have a Local Plan which outlines the council’s biodiversity commitments to “manage, protect and enhance natural environments and biodiversity”.

Since 2021, the council have been working with their contractor, ID Verde, to launch the Bromley Biodiversity Action Plan which lays out a five-year strategy for improving biodiversity in the borough’s parks and open spaces. As part of this initiative, they’re also starting a Bromley Biodiversity Champion programme for allotments.

*These can be used as an opportunity – councils are undermining their own positive measures by continuing to use pesticides.

CAMDEN

The information below was provided by Camden Council to PAN UK in September 2021 in response to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request. It has not been verified or altered by PAN UK. Where the information provided was inconsistent or contradictory it has been highlighted.

The most recent full year for which data was available was 2020. This profile was published in April 2022.

The council directly manages the following areas: None

The council also employs a contractor: ID Verde

The contractor manages the following areas on behalf of the council: Parks and housing estates, and highways (pavements, tree pits, verges).

Total amount of pesticides used by year:

2018 – 860 litres
2019 – 751 litres
2020 -787 litres

What policies does the council have in place to drive pesticide reduction?

Camden Council published a Biodiversity Strategy in 2021 which states that “the council minimises herbicide use as far as possible and has taken numerous steps towards its reduction. Camden do not use herbicide to manage amenity weeds in grass or other soft landscaping areas. Camden’s Green Spaces team are currently working on initiatives to design out the need for herbicide use on hard standing through selective choice of surface materials across our sites.”

The Council also has a public webpage entitled ‘Weeding in Camden’ where they detail their varied approach to managing weeds, including regular street sweeping, the focussed use of chemicals, and hand weeding. They state that they do not use chemicals for the control of weeds (except the invasive species Japanese Knotweed) in tree pits, flower or shrub beds, on lawns, or in nature conservation areas within the borough.

The Council told PAN UK that they have trialled Foamstream (a technology which uses plant-based hot foam) in a number of parks with varying degrees of success, and are continuously looking for alternative methods of weed control. On highways (which includes pavements, tree pits and road verges) they trialled reducing the dose of herbicide per application.

Other biodiversity measures?*

Camden Council declared a climate and ecological emergency in 2019, and committed to “produce a new ecological plan for Camden to sustain and improve biodiversity in Camden” and to encourage “all citizens, businesses, and organisations or groups in the borough of Camden to join with the Council to protect and improve biodiversity.”

Their 2021 Biodiversity Plan and addresses the need to review how different green spaces are managed, and to increase green spaces and biodiversity habitats. It also mentions extending “nature conservation volunteers programmes to support with the maintenance of existing and new green space”.

*These can be used as an opportunity – councils are undermining their own positive measures by continuing to use pesticides.

CROYDON

The information below was provided by Croydon Council to PAN UK in October 2021 in response to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request. It has not been verified or altered by PAN UK. Where the information provided was inconsistent or contradictory it has been highlighted.

The most recent full year for which data was available was 2020. This profile was published in April 2022.

The council directly manages the following areas: Grounds maintenance (parks, housing and schools land, some highway verges and cemeteries).

The council also employs a contractor: Veolia

The contractor manages the following areas on behalf of the council: Highways (pavements, tree pits, verges).

Total amount of pesticides used by year:

Information not provided.

What policies does the council have in place to drive pesticide reduction?

Croydon Council does not have a pesticide policy, but they told PAN UK that their grounds maintenance team do not use pesticides. They state that they work with community weeding groups, are leaving more areas to grow wild, and have increased hours to maintain those areas left to grow as well as fence lines.

While the council’s own staff are not using pesticides, the contractor they employ continues to use four different pesticide products.

Other biodiversity measures?*

Croydon Council declared a climate and ecological emergency in June 2019, but make no mention of pesticides in their accompanying statement. The statement references the Council’s Biodiversity Action Plan which is broken down into separate Local Action Plans for specific green areas, to “preserve and enhance biodiversity”.

The Grounds Maintenance Team are developing a range of initiatives, namely ‘Wildflower Verges’ trials, the ‘Beautiful Butterfly’ project, and ‘Trees for Bees’. These aim to create new pollinator habitats and increase biodiversity by “create[ing] green highways for wildlife to move across the borough”.

*These can be used as an opportunity – councils are undermining their own positive measures by continuing to use pesticides.

EALING

Ealing Council did not respond to the Freedom of Information (FoI) request submitted by PAN UK in September 2021. The information provided below was therefore gathered from publicly available sources.

The council directly manages the following areas: Parks, open spaces, housing estates’ green spaces, highways (pavements, tree pits, shrubs, verges).

The council also employs a contractor: Unknown

The contractor manages the following areas on behalf of the council: Unknown

Pesticides used by the council and its contractors:

It is highly unusual for a council to publish the names of the pesticide products it uses or in what amounts. Given that Ealing Council did not respond to PAN UK’s Freedom of Information (FoI) request, we are unable to list the pesticides that are being used in the borough (as we have done for all other London borough councils).

What policies does the council have in place to drive pesticide reduction?

Ealing Council has a commitment to “reduce and phase out the use of pesticides/herbicides in all parks and open spaces” in its Biodiversity Action Plan. The Plan also discourages allotment holders from using chemical weed killers and slug pellets.

The Council told PAN UK that it’s street cleaning team removes weeds from highways four times a year, though it is unclear whether this involves using pesticides.

Other biodiversity measures?*

Ealing Council declared a climate emergency in April 2019, and published an accompanying Climate and Ecological Emergency Strategy which has a target to “enhance biodiversity and connections for wildlife” and to increase green infrastructure, such as the creation of new grassland verges.

The Council’s Biodiversity Action Plan details the measures they will put in place to enhance biodiversity, including restoring degraded sites to create wildlife corridors, replacing mown grass areas as well as creating new grass and wildflower meadows, and increasing engagement with communities to manage these green spaces.

In 2021, the Council participated in the ‘No Mow May’ campaign to support the borough’s pollinators and other wildlife.

*These can be used as an opportunity – councils are undermining their own positive measures by continuing to use pesticides.

ENFIELD

The information below was provided by Enfield Council to PAN UK in October 2021 in response to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request. It has not been verified or altered by PAN UK. Where the information provided was inconsistent or contradictory it has been highlighted.

The most recent full year for which data was available was 2020. This profile was published in April 2022.

The council directly manages the following areas: Highways (pavement, tree pits, verges), council housing, grounds maintenance (parks and open spaces) since 2021.

The council also employs a contractor:

The contractor manages the following areas on behalf of the council: Grounds maintenance (parks and open spaces).

Total amount of pesticides (herbicides) used by year

2018 – 2,275 litres
2019 – 2,235 litres
2020 – 2,415 litres

Pesticides used by the council and its contractors:
Please note that this list only includes products approved under the UK’s regulatory system for plant protection products (and therefore excludes biocidal products).

What policies does the council have in place to drive pesticide reduction?

The Council has no overarching pesticide policy. However, they shared in their FoI response that they use a hot water weed control system for specific hard surfaces where car parking is sparse and use brushes and mechanical sweepers to remove weeds in road channels and more open residential pavements. The parks team now uses mechanical weed removal for their paths and shrub beds.

The Council’s Blue and Green Strategy states their intention to work with landowners and the public to reduce the use of pesticides and invasive plant species. The Council also reported that some Enfield residents have adopted the maintenance of certain “highway landscapes”.

Other biodiversity measures?*

Enfield Council declared a climate emergency in July 2019, and have a Blue and Green Strategy for 2021 to 2031 which builds on their 2011 Biodiversity Action Plan. One key aim of the Blue and Green Strategy is “Creating wilder, more natural spaces to enable biodiversity to thrive, support the restoration of ecosystems and increase interest among people”, which includes increasing biodiversity in urban spaces through tree planting, wildflower meadows and grass verges.

*These can be used as an opportunity – councils are undermining their own positive measures by continuing to use pesticides.

GREENWICH

The information below was provided by Greenwich Council to PAN UK in October 2021 in response to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request. It has not been verified or altered by PAN UK. Where the information provided was inconsistent or contradictory it has been highlighted.

The most recent full year for which data was available was 2020. This profile was published in April 2022.

The council directly manages the following areas: The Council’s Caretaking Service spray hard surface areas on council-owned housing estates. The Parks, Estates and Open Spaces Service manage parks and green spaces.

The council also employs a contractor: Languard (Waste and Street Service contract).

The contractor manages the following areas on behalf of the council: Highways (pavement, tree pits, verges).

Total amount of pesticides (herbicides) used by year:

2018 – 517 litres
2019 – 715 litres
2020 – 656 litres

What policies does the council have in place to drive pesticide reduction?

The Council has no overarching pesticide policy, but does have an extensive Biodiversity Action Plan for parks and green spaces which states that “the use of pesticides should be minimised wherever possible”. The Plan also encourages residents not to use pesticides in their gardens and allotments.

Neither the Council’s own Caretaking Service nor its contractor, Languard, have trialled or put in place any alternative weed management measures.

The Parks, Estates and Open Spaces Service told PAN UK that they continually review the use of pesticides under its Environmental Management System and have trialled pesticide free alternatives to weed removal in the past (including mechanical equipment, weed rippers, hot foam and gas burners) but deemed these to be less efficient and cost effective than using pesticides. As a result, they have continued to use pesticides in conjunction with mulching and manual weed control as part of their integrated approach to weed management. Japanese knotweed is treated with pesticides once a year in late summer.

Other biodiversity measures?*

The Council declared a climate emergency in 2019 and developed a Greener Greenwich strategy where they state that “the council’s core strategy includes a commitment to protecting our green space”. The Council detail their biodiversity enhancing measures through their Biodiversity Action Plan, which includes the sowing of wildflower meadows for pollinators, creating new wildlife corridors and wild green spaces, and their Pollinator Pathway project.

*These can be used as an opportunity – councils are undermining their own positive measures by continuing to use pesticides.

HACKNEY

The information below was provided by Hackney Council to PAN UK in October 2021 in response to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request. It has not been verified or altered by PAN UK. Where the information provided was inconsistent or contradictory it has been highlighted.

The most recent full year for which data was available was 2020. This profile was published in April 2022.

The council directly manages the following areas: Grounds Maintenance (council owned housing and buildings).

The council also employs a contractor: (1) Rigby Taylor Environmental. (2) Weedfree Limited

The contractor manages the following areas on behalf of the council: (1) Parks and open spaces. (2) Highways (pavements, tree pits, verges).

Total amount of pesticides (herbicides) used by year:

2018 – 259 litres
2019 – 108.5 litres
2020 – 34.37 litres

What policies does the council have in place to drive pesticide reduction?

Hackney has no overarching pesticide policy, but does have various commitments to reduce pesticide use in different spaces.

Hackney Council’s housing estates have gone pesticide-free, following a successful pilot year in 2021. The pilot consisted of no longer using glyphosate-based herbicides on the grassy areas, shrub beds, rose beds and hedges on council-owned estates. They also planted additional wildflower meadows to encourage green spaces to flourish without herbicides, and increased the use of leaves and tree mulch to suppress weed growth. With 237 estate-based green spaces managed by the Council, the areas covered in this policy incorporate a large part of Hackney’s green infrastructure.

The Council have also developed a Hackney Parks and Green Spaces Strategy 2021-2031 in which they state that they are significantly reducing their use of glyphosate, and continue to explore alternatives. They also shared in their FoI response that they don’t spray playgrounds.

The Council spray highways (pavements, tree pits and road verges) three times a year with pesticides to keep them clear of weeds. However, thanks to high footfall suppressing weed growth, all high streets and town centres have been removed from their spraying schedule.

They also told PAN UK that they trialled foam and heat removal but found that these products were ‘not cost effective’ nor as efficient as glyphosate. Instead, they are trialling a range of measures including diluting the glyphosate mix with more water to reduce the amount used, and implementing ‘no spray zones’.

Other biodiversity measures?*

Hackney Council declared a climate emergency in 2019. They are also reviewing their 2012-19 Biodiversity Action Plan, working with the London Wildlife Trust to create an adapted Local Nature Recovery Strategy. This aims to increase biodiversity across Hackney in line with their Local Nature Recovery Plan, creating more wild areas by mowing less and planting wildflowers across all parks and green spaces.

*These can be used as an opportunity – councils are undermining their own positive measures by continuing to use pesticides.

HAMMERSMITH AND FULHAM

The information below was provided by Hammersmith and Fulham Council to PAN UK in October 2021 in response to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request. It has not been verified or altered by PAN UK. Where the information provided was inconsistent or contradictory it has been highlighted.

The most recent full year for which data was available was 2020. This profile was published in April 2022.

The council directly manages the following areas: Parks and open spaces, council-owned housing, sports grounds, highways (pavements, tree pits, verges).

The council also employs a contractor: None

The contractor manages the following areas on behalf of the council: None

Total amount of pesticides (herbicides) used by year:

2018 – 2.5 litres
2019 – 2 litres
2020 – 2.82 litres

What policies does the council have in place to drive pesticide reduction?

In 2016, Hammersmith and Fulham Council ended almost all pesticide use on their land. The Council have been using Foamstream machines (non-chemical hot foam) to manage weeds in parks and around housing estates, and told PAN UK that they will also be increasing their use of hand weeding and mechanical sweeping from 1st February 2022. They use glyphosate for the purpose of dealing with invasive plant species like Japanese Knotweed and Giant Hogweed.

The Council have an extensive policy for managing highways (pavements, tree pits and road verges), which states clearly that no pesticides are to be used. They have been trialling and refining their weed management plan over many years, and now use a combination of Foamstream, steam and mechanical weeding.

While the Council does still use a small amount of glyphosate on invasive species, they are investigating other approaches such as the electric lance. They have also been working with residents to develop a map showing both weed growth and related complaints in order to move towards a smarter and more responsive strategy for weed control.

Other biodiversity measures?*

Hammersmith and Fulham Council declared a climate and ecological emergency in July 2019, with a clear intent to protect and restore nature, wildlife and biodiversity. They state that “every potentially green space will be used to support and encourage wildlife, creating green corridors and having more trees, green spaces and parklets. Reducing the amount of tarmac and paving helps to restore biodiversity.” They have also developed a ‘planting for pollinators’ scheme and, in 2021, participated in the ‘No Mow May’ campaign.

*These can be used as an opportunity – councils are undermining their own positive measures by continuing to use pesticides.

HARINGEY

The information below was provided by Haringey Council to PAN UK in October 2021 in response to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request. It has not been verified or altered by PAN UK. Where the information provided was inconsistent or contradictory it has been highlighted.

The most recent full year for which data was available was 2020. This profile was published in April 2022.

The council directly manages the following areas: Parks and open spaces, and council-owned housing.

The council also employs a contractor: Veolia

The contractor manages the following areas on behalf of the council: Highways (pavements, tree pits, verges).

Total amount of pesticides (herbicides) used by year:

The Council told PAN UK that the total amount of pesticides used in 2018, 2019 and 2020 combined was 873 Litres

(Likely to be a significant underestimate because the amounts of pesticides sprayed by their contactor, Veolia, were unavailable)

*Council reported Veolia uses herbicides and sprays three times a year but didn’t provide the names of specific products or amounts used.

What policies does the council have in place to drive pesticide reduction?

Haringey Council has no overarching pesticide policy. However, the Council told PAN UK that they will be trialling alternative approaches to managing weeds in their parks from Spring 2022. These include non-chemical alternatives such as Foamstream (hot foam) and Rootwave (electric wands), community weeding and also leaving certain areas to grow.

The Council has a Biodiversity Action Plan which aims to “improve biodiversity value” and includes a recommendation for allotment managers to reduce their use of pesticides.

Other biodiversity measures?*

Haringey Council declared a climate emergency in March 2019 and passed a motion to deliver greener and less polluted streets, particularly around schools.

The borough developed a Climate Change Action Plan in 2021. The Plan aims to “increase biodiversity and habitat types by increasing wildlife-only areas, and supporting biodiversity supporting infrastructure” from 2021. It also commits to “increasing the biodiversity of Homes for Haringey open spaces and road-side verges by reducing cutting regimes” from 2022.

The Council also has a so-called ‘Greenest Borough Strategy’ which seeks to tackle climate change and embed environmental sustainability into everything they do. The Strategy focusses on seven priority areas: improving the urban environment; protecting the natural environment; managing environmental resources efficiently; leading by example; encouraging sustainable design and construction; promoting sustainable travel; and raising awareness and involvement.

*These can be used as an opportunity – councils are undermining their own positive measures by continuing to use pesticides.

HARROW

The information below was provided by Harrow Council to PAN UK in October 2021 in response to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request. It has not been verified or altered by PAN UK. Where the information provided was inconsistent or contradictory it has been highlighted.

The most recent full year for which data was available was 2020. This profile was published in April 2022.

The council manages the following areas: Parks and open spaces (including playgrounds). Council-owned housing. Highways (pavements, tree pits, verges).

The council also employs a contractor: Ebsford Environmental

The contractor manages the following areas on behalf of the council: Invasive species (giant hogweed).

Total amount of pesticides (herbicides) used by year:

2018 – 2178.25 litres
2019 – 3113.25 litres
2020 – 1490 litres

(Likely to be an underestimate because the Council did not provide information on how highways – pavements, tree pits and verges – are maintained.)

What policies does the council have in place to drive pesticide reduction?

Harrow Council does not have an overarching pesticide policy in place, but do have a Biodiversity Action Plan where they promote ‘organic’ management techniques in Harrow’s open spaces, allotments and private gardens. The techniques listed in their Action Plan include no longer using pesticides (except to control invasive species) and banning the use of all neonicotinoids (insecticides notorious for being highly toxic to bees). Their Action Plan also underlines the importance of planting pesticide-free seeds.

While the Council told PAN UK that they undertake manual and community weeding in their parks, they have no measures in place to reduce pesticide use around housing estates or on highways (pavements, tree pits and road verges).

Other biodiversity measures?*

Harrow Council declared a climate and ecological emergency in 2019. They have recently released a document outlining their interim strategy and actions which includes a focus on creating “healthy places for us and the rest of nature”. This includes measures to protect and restore biodiversity and ecosystems, and working with park user groups to look for opportunities to collaborate with the aim of furthering this agenda.

*These can be used as an opportunity – councils are undermining their own positive measures by continuing to use pesticides.

HAVERING

The information below was provided by Havering Council to PAN UK in October 2021 in response to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request. It has not been verified or altered by PAN UK. Where the information provided was inconsistent or contradictory it has been highlighted.

The most recent full year for which data was available was 2020. This profile was published in April 2022.

The council directly manages the following areas: Highways (verges, shrub beds, roundabouts), parks and open spaces, Council-owned housing, playgrounds, and school grounds.

The council also employs a contractor: SH Goss Ltd

The contractor manages the following areas on behalf of the council: Highways (pavements, tree pits).

Total amount of pesticides (herbicides) used by year:

(Figures like to be an underestimation because amounts not provided for two of the three pesticide products used by the Council)

2018 – 300 Litres
2019 – 300 Litres
2020 – 115 Litres (These figures are likely to be an underestimate because the council reported that their contractor used pesticides but didn’t provide amounts used)

What policies does the council have in place to drive pesticide reduction?

Havering Council’s Parks Team has developed a pesticide strategy aimed at minimising the use of pesticides and the risks which pesticides can present. They told PAN UK that, where possible, non-chemical alternative methods of control are used including mulching, hoeing, strimming, manual weeding and burning.

In general, mechanical sweepers are used in Havering’s parks and open spaces, but the Council found they are not suitable for managing their shrub beds. Various suppressing non-chemical alternatives are used instead, and they have launched a community green spaces programme which is volunteer-run to help with ongoing shrub bed maintenance.

Havering Council told PAN UK that they did investigate the use of foam and hot water applications a number of years ago, but that “unfortunately these systems were not cost effective in line with the current budgets.”

The council recently reviewed its use of herbicides, but have not decided to change their current spraying regime.

Other biodiversity measures?*

Havering Council have not declared a climate or ecological emergency but did release a Climate Action Plan in 2021. This predominantly focusses on measures aimed at reducing emissions and reaching net zero, but briefly highlights that the Council could be “Enhancing biodiversity, by increasing and improving green space”.

The Council also has a Biodiversity Action Plan, which focuses on the creation of new green spaces, wildlife corridors and ecological networks. It commits the Council to increasing the number of open spaces managed as wildflower and grass meadows, and creating new green habitats in urban areas. The Plan also highlights the importance of publicising these biodiversity measures to local residents through publicity and promotion such as new signage by meadows.

*These can be used as an opportunity – councils are undermining their own positive measures by continuing to use pesticides.

HILLINGDON

The information below was provided by Hillingdon Council to PAN UK in October 2021 in response to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request. It has not been verified or altered by PAN UK. Where the information provided was inconsistent or contradictory it has been highlighted.

The most recent full year for which data was available was 2020. This profile was published in April 2022.

The council directly manages the following areas: Parks and open spaces, Council-owned housing, highways (pavements, tree pits, verges).

The council also employs a contractor: Rigby Taylor Ltd

The contractor manages the following areas on behalf of the council: Golf courses.

Total amount of pesticides (herbicides) used by year:

2018 – 315 litres
2019 – 295 litres
2020 – 360 litres

What policies does the council have in place to drive pesticide reduction?

The Council has no policies in place to reduce its pesticide uses. It has not conducted any trials of non-chemical alternative or other approaches to managing weeds with the aim of reducing pesticide use.

They did tell PAN UK that some measures were taken to reduce pesticide use on golf courses, where no spraying was undertaken around clubhouses, and strimmers and wire brushes were used to clear weeds and grass in paving.

Other biodiversity measures?*

The Council declared a climate emergency in January 2020, and released a Strategic Climate Action Plan. A key focus of the Plan is to “enhance opportunities for biodiversity across the Borough, particularly in urban areas” through measures such as reducing mowing in public spaces, encouraging wildflower meadows and reconnecting green corridors.

In 2021, the Council took part in the ‘No Mow May’ campaign to support pollinators.

*These can be used as an opportunity – councils are undermining their own positive measures by continuing to use pesticides.

HOUNSLOW

The information below was provided by Hounslow Council to PAN UK in October 2021 in response to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request. It has not been verified or altered by PAN UK. Where the information provided was inconsistent or contradictory it has been highlighted.

The most recent full year for which data was available was 2020. This profile was published in April 2022.

The council directly manages the following areas: None

The council also employs contractors: (1) Housing Repairs and Grounds Maintenance have contracted Weed Management Ltd since 2020. (2) The Parks and Open Spaces Team have contracted GreenSpace 360. (3) Highways have contracted Hounslow Highways (Hounslow Highways is a partnership between the Council and VINCI Concessions and Ringway).

The contractor manages the following areas on behalf of the council: (1) Hard surfaces within housing estates. (2) Parks and open spaces. (3) Highways (pavements, tree pits, verges, shrub beds and hedges).

Total amount of pesticides (herbicides) used by year:

2018 – 621.17 litres
2019 – 729 litres
2020 – 176.2 litres

What policies does the council have in place to drive pesticide reduction?

Hounslow Council’s Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy commits to reducing pesticide use on highways (pavements, tree pits and road verges) and parks and open spaces from July 2021. They state that they will “continue the shift away from herbicide and chemical use in all council-led management to encourage greater species diversity” and that herbicide use should only be allowed as spot treatments of the invasive species Japanese Knotweed and Giant Hogweed. The Council also told PAN UK that they are organising a workshop to bring all their contractors together to look at glyphosate alternatives.

Contractor Hounslow Highways no longer uses glyphosate to control weeds on public highway hard surfaces (pavements). Instead, they use manual sweeping, hoeing and strimming. They told PAN UK that they trialled using Foamstream (hot foam which kills plants) and that, while it was effective in terms of killing weeds, their trial was limited, no conclusions were made and they apparently have no plans to look at the product again in the future.

The contractor hired by the Parks and Open Spaces Team uses manual/hand weeding wherever feasible (e.g. bedding areas) and limits glyphosate spraying to hard surfaces and edging. The Council told us that the contractor has created more wild areas, work with volunteer weeding groups, and use mechanical brushes. The Council also told PAN UK that the contractor has agreed to use glyphosate only when absolutely necessary and will continue to investigate new methodologies for weed removal – they trialled Foamstream but it was not adopted.

The Council’s Housing Repairs and Grounds Maintenance Team has implemented a range of measures aimed at reducing their use of glyphosate. They have adopted ‘replanting’ to avoid empty beds getting filled with weeds, created two new teams of staff to hand-weed, and used bark mulch to suppress weed growth. When spraying is done they are trialling low volume spraying to reduce the amounts of chemicals used.

Other biodiversity measures?*

Hounslow Council passed a climate emergency in June 2019, publishing a Climate Action Plan which has clear goals to develop and approve the Biodiversity and Greening the Borough Action Plans.

The Council’s Greener Borough Framework, developed in January 2020, has a key priority of “Enhancing biodiversity and improving green spaces for the benefit of communities and users of parks.” Their Biodiversity Action Plan details measures the council plans to implement, such as devising a wildflower meadow planting strategy, and creating verges, wildlife corridors, and restoring habitats.

*These can be used as an opportunity – councils are undermining their own positive measures by continuing to use pesticides.

ISLINGTON

The information below was provided by Islington Council to PAN UK in November 2021 in response to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request. It has not been verified or altered by PAN UK. Where the information provided was inconsistent or contradictory it has been highlighted.

The most recent full year for which data was available was 2020. This profile was published in April 2022.

The council directly manages the following areas: Parks and open spaces.

The council also employs a contractor: Complete Weed Control

The contractor manages the following areas on behalf of the council: Highways (pavements, tree pits, verges).

Total amount of pesticides (herbicides) used by year:

2018 – 350 litres
2019 – 1400 litres
2020 – 1010 litres

What policies does the council have in place to drive pesticide reduction?

The Council has developed a Biodiversity Action Plan 2020-25 which has a clear commitment to “continually review use of pesticides and herbicides in public realm and housing and look to reduce where possible; [to] carry out trials for alternative chemical free weed removal options; [and work towards the] adoption of integrated weed management document.” They also state that they will “provide on the ground training for grounds maintenance staff and possibly caretakers on wildlife habitats and their importance.” The council’s Vision Strategy 2030 also includes a commitment to “reduce herbicide use”.

The Council’s Greenspace team has increased hand weeding by staff and community gardeners, adopted mechanical sweeping and bark mulching to suppress weed growth. They trialled Foamstream (a machine which kills plants using hot foam) but did not adopt it.

The Street team has carried out a number of trials over the past two years, including Foamstream and mechanical brushes, vinegar use as well as manual hand removal. They told PAN UK that, at present, none of these options have been pursued for longer term use for various reasons including cost and effectiveness.

Other biodiversity measures?*

Islington Council declared a climate emergency in June 2019, and recently published their Vision Strategy 2030 which includes as a key priority, “the natural environment and waste reduction and recycling”. In addition to the commitment to reducing herbicide use, the Strategy includes developing new green areas and raising awareness of biodiversity measures among the public.

The Council’s Biodiversity Action Plan’s four priorities are to “conserve existing habitats, biodiversity features and species; to enhance and improve the condition of existing areas of habitat; to create new habitats or increase the extent of existing habitat or range of species through restoration or expansion; and to engage the whole community in reducing environmental inequality by increasing access to green spaces for people and wildlife, providing the opportunity to learn about, protect and promote Islington’s biodiversity”.

*These can be used as an opportunity – councils are undermining their own positive measures by continuing to use pesticides.

KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA

The information below was provided by Kensington and Chelsea Council to PAN UK in November 2021 in response to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request. It has not been verified or altered by PAN UK. Where the information provided was inconsistent or contradictory it has been highlighted.

The most recent full year for which data was available was 2020. This profile was published in April 2022.

The council directly manages the following areas: Parks and open spaces (including playgrounds and Holland Park Greenhouse).

The council also employs a contractor: Kensington and Chelsea Council told PAN UK that they don’t employ a contractor to manage parks. However, a ten-year ‘Grounds Maintenance, Sports and Bereavement Services contract’ between the Council and contractor Id Verde was announced in 2021. PAN UK is unaware of why this discrepancy exists.

The Council did not provide information on how its highways (pavements, tree pits and verges) are managed.

The contractor manages the following areas on behalf of the council: Unknown

Total amount of pesticides (herbicides) used by year:

2018 – 21.1 litres
2019 – 17.7 litres
2020 – 27.7 litres

(Likely to be an underestimate because the Council did not provide information on how highways – pavements, tree pits and verges – are maintained.)

What policies does the council have in place to drive pesticide reduction?

The Council has no clear overarching pesticide policy. They do have a Biodiversity Action Plan (that they’re reviewing) concerning parks and open spaces. This document acknowledges the harms caused by pesticides, and states that “The use of pesticides is declining, but has not yet been phased out. They can have complex detrimental impacts on ecosystems.”

The Council shared that they have increased hand weeding in their management of green spaces.

Other biodiversity measures?*

Kensington and Chelsea Council declared a climate emergency in October 2019, and have developed a Climate Emergency Action Plan 2022-27. The plan aims to create “a better, more joined up network of green space and habitats which supports biodiversity in our built environment and restore and expand green corridors.” This aim is implemented through their Biodiversity Action Plan, which outlines beneficial management practices that the council should adopt, such as allowing grass areas to grow, creating wildflower meadows, connecting green corridors, as well as reducing pesticide use.

The Council also recently initiated the Bee Superhighway project which aims to protect and enhance the borough’s habitats, increase the amount of wildflower coverage and pollinator friendly planting, and introduce other features that support bees, butterflies, moths and other pollinators. The council do recommend here that individuals not use pesticides in their gardens.

The Council also has Greener Borough commitments, but these focus solely on carbon emissions and reaching net zero; they make no mention of biodiversity.

*These can be used as an opportunity – councils are undermining their own positive measures by continuing to use pesticides.

KINGSTON UPON THAMES

The information below was provided by Kingston Upon Thames Council to PAN UK in October 2021 in response to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request. It has not been verified or altered by PAN UK. Where the information provided was inconsistent or contradictory it has been highlighted.

The most recent full year for which data was available was 2020. This profile was published in April 2022.

The council directly manages the following areas: None

The council also employs a contractor: (1) Complete Weed Control. (2) Veolia.

The contractor manages the following areas on behalf of the council: (1) Parks and open spaces, and housing estates. (2) Highways (pavements, tree pits, verges).

Total amount of pesticides (herbicides) used by year:

2018 – 1,404 litres
2019 – 1,404 litres
2020 – 1,012 litres

What policies does the council have in place to drive pesticide reduction?

Kingston Upon Thames Council has no overarching pesticide policy. In their recent Climate emergency document the Council states that they will ‘review their pesticide use’, but they provide no further detail and have no commitments in place to actually reduce pesticide use.

The Council told PAN UK that they recently trialled a Foamstream machine to manage weeds on highways (pavements, tree pits and verges). However, they concluded that knapsack weed spraying would still be required for narrow sites such as alleyways and that highly parked areas also weren’t suitable for this option.

The Council are also running a variety of trials in four wards. The trials include measures such as reducing the number of sprayings, not spraying at all, and introducing additional hand-weeding.

Other biodiversity measures?*

Kingston Upon Thames Council declared a climate emergency in June 2019. They created an accompanying Climate Action Plan which outlines all the various plans aimed at making sure biodiversity value is increased in the borough.

To that effect, the Council have published an Environment Management Plan which has a key priority to “protect and enhance biodiversity and the natural environment”. This document works alongside the Good Practice Guide for Biodiversity which outlines clear measures land managers can adopt to create, restore and enhance wildlife habitats.

The Council have also developed a ‘WildWays’ project in which eight roadside grass verges across the borough have been designated as pilot sites for creating rich, wildflower meadows.

*These can be used as an opportunity – councils are undermining their own positive measures by continuing to use pesticides.

LAMBETH

The information below was provided by Lambeth Council to PAN UK in February 2022 in response to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request. It has not been verified or altered by PAN UK. Where the information provided was inconsistent or contradictory it has been highlighted.

The most recent full year for which data was available was 2020. This profile was published in April 2022.

The council directly manages the following areas: Parks and open spaces.

The council also employs a contractor: Veolia (the council’s Street cleansing contractor) contracted Complete Weed Control

The contractor manages the following areas on behalf of the council: Highways (pavements, tree pits, verges).

Total amount of pesticides (herbicides) used by year:

2018 – 920 Litres
2019 – 680 Litres
2020 – 600 Litres

What policies does the council have in place to drive pesticide reduction?

Lambeth Council’s Parks and Open Spaces Strategic Plan 2020-25 recommends promoting biodiversity and sustainability by minimising the use of pesticides and other chemicals. The Council’s Pollinator Action Plan 2021-25 and Biodiversity Action Plan 2019-24 both also mention the need to reduce and eliminate the use of pesticides “across the entire public realm”. Public realm refers to all publicly owned streets, roadways, sidewalks, parks, and other open spaces that comprise the shared space of a city.

Lambeth Council have a detailed Integrated Pest Management Policy in which they outline different chemical-free measures to manage weeds in parks and open spaces. It states “Lambeth Landscapes will always prioritise the use of non-chemical methods for the toleration, management, control or eradication of weeds over any chemical methods” and that chemicals will only be used as a “very last resort where all other non-chemical methods have failed”.

The Council told PAN UK that they have introduced a new Waste, Recycling and Street Cleansing contract on 1 October 2021 which will implement year-round chemical-free manual weed control. They trialled alternatives such as Foamstream and hot water treatments, but deemed these too slow, expensive, and as having a separate set of negative environmental impacts (such as the use of diesel in the generator needed to power Foamstream machines). Additionally, from Spring 2020, the council set up a system for residents to ‘opt out’ their streets from spraying and take responsibility for weeding their street themselves through a Community Weeding scheme.

Lambeth Council do continue to use small amounts of pesticides as an exception, namely stem injections of herbicides to deal with invasive species such as Japanese knotweed and as plugs in tree stumps.

Other biodiversity measures?*

Lambeth Council declared a climate emergency in 2019 and is in the process of developing a Climate Action Plan.

The Council’s Pollinator Action Plan 2021-25 and Biodiversity Action Plan 2019-24 both detail measures to protect, increase, and enhance the amount of pollinator and wildlife habitat in Lambeth, such as the creation of wildflower areas, joined-up habitat corridors, and less grass mowing.

*These can be used as an opportunity – councils are undermining their own positive measures by continuing to use pesticides.

LEWISHAM

The information below was provided by Lewisham Council to PAN UK in December 2021 in response to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request. It has not been verified or altered by PAN UK. Where the information provided was inconsistent or contradictory it has been highlighted.

The most recent full year for which data was available was 2020. This profile was published in April 2022.

The council directly manages the following areas: None

The council also employs a contractor: (1) Glendale. (2) Weed Management Ltd.

The contractor manages the following areas on behalf of the council: (1) Parks, open spaces. Highways (pavements, tree pits, verges). (2) Football pitches.

Total amount of pesticides (herbicides) used by year:

2018 – 2463.15 litres
2019 – 2446.15 litres
2020 – 2643.95 litres

What policies does the council have in place to drive pesticide reduction?

Lewisham Council’s Parks and Open Spaces Strategy 2020–2025, states that it aims “To develop and trial an integrated weed control policy to avoid, explore alternatives to, and reduce the use of herbicide.”

The Council told PAN UK that they have trialled the Foamstream machine (kills plants through non-chemical hot foam) but found this ineffective. They have also trialled Ripagreen thermal lance and have adopted this alternative for weed control in play areas. They are also increasing wood chip mulching on shrub beds to suppress weed growth.

The Council does not have a pesticide policy for weed management on highways (pavements, tree pits and verges).

The Council’s new Biodiversity Action Plan advises residents to avoid using pesticides (including slug pellets and herbicides). It also supports the delivery of the council’s Integrated Weed Management Policy (which PAN UK has been unable to find online) which aims to reduce and minimise the use of chemical herbicides to control weeds.

Other biodiversity measures?*

Lewisham Council declared a climate emergency in February 2019, and published a Climate Emergency Action Plan which acknowledges that “the climate crisis is part of a wider ecological crisis, with biodiversity and habitats under huge pressure, and action on climate change should be integrated with policies and programmes across all environmental issues.”

They have created the Lewisham Local Plan and the Biodiversity Action Plan with a key focus on promoting and protecting the ecological and biodiversity value of the borough’s natural assets (including trees, green spaces and water spaces)- and to enhance existing spaces or create new developments.

*These can be used as an opportunity – councils are undermining their own positive measures by continuing to use pesticides.

MERTON

The information below was provided by Merton Council to PAN UK in November 2021 in response to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request. It has not been verified or altered by PAN UK. Where the information provided was inconsistent or contradictory it has been highlighted.

The most recent full year for which data was available was 2020. This profile was published in April 2022.

The council directly manages the following areas: None

The council also employs a contractor: (1) Veolia (2) ID Verde

The contractor manages the following areas on behalf of the council: (1) Highways (pavements, tree pits, verges). (2) Parks and open spaces.

Total amount of pesticides (herbicides) used by year:

2018 – 775 litres
2019 – 958 litres
2020 – 1,012 litres

What policies does the council have in place to drive pesticide reduction?

Merton Council acknowledge the need to use less pesticides in green spaces in order to protect and enhance their environment in their Merton Community Plan 2020-26. The Plan states that they will “deploy and encourage energy efficient and environmentally friendly measures and materials within our greenspaces, including composting of green waste, minimal use of pesticides, etc.”. They confirmed to PAN UK that “the policy is one of minimal use of herbicides and that herbicides should only be applied under exceptional circumstances.”

The Council continues to use pesticides to manage invasive species such as Japanese Knotweed.

The Council has no policy to reduce pesticides on their highways (pavements, tree pits and verges). They told PAN UK that, when it comes to streets, they simply “continue to monitor the use of pesticides for weed control”. Citing cost as the reason, they said that they “will continue to use glyphosate carefully and according to the manufacturers’ instructions and best practice”.

Other biodiversity measures?*

Merton Council declared a climate emergency in July 2019, releasing a Merton Climate Strategy and Action Plan which underlines that greening the borough is a priority, primarily focusing on tree planting.

The Council has also created a Green and Blue Infrastructure, Biodiversity and Open Space study which acknowledges that “urban areas can actually be an oasis for wildlife if we use parks, civic spaces and private gardens to plant native trees and create orchards and meadows to improve the resilience for future generations.” The Council encourages biodiversity enhancement measures, and underlines the importance of working with resident volunteers to manage green spaces.

*These can be used as an opportunity – councils are undermining their own positive measures by continuing to use pesticides.

NEWHAM

The information below was provided by Newham Council to PAN UK in November 2021 in response to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request. It has not been verified or altered by PAN UK. Where the information provided was inconsistent or contradictory it has been highlighted.

The most recent full year for which data was available was 2020. This profile was published in April 2022.

The council directly manages the following areas: Parks and open spaces (including playgrounds and verges).

The council also employs a contractor: Charlton Environmental Ltd

The contractor manages the following areas on behalf of the council: Highways (pavements, tree pits), housing estates.

Total amount of pesticides (herbicides) used by year:

2018 – 1002.4 litres
2019 – 1002.4 litres
2020 – 1002.4 litres

What policies does the council have in place to drive pesticide reduction?

Newham Council does not have a pesticide policy in place, but include a commitment in their Climate Emergency Annual Report 2019-2020 to greening the borough by reducing their reliance on harmful chemicals.

They told PAN UK that they no longer use pesticides in parks, playgrounds or on verges, with the only exception being to control invasive species. Their wider weed management plans include FoamStream (a chemical-free hot foam weed killer), mulching, mechanical brushes and manual weeding.

They have no reduction measures or alternatives in place to manage weeds on highways (pavements) or around housing estates.

Other biodiversity measures?*

Newham Council declared a climate emergency in April 2019, and released a Climate Emergency Action Plan which includes a focus on greening the borough and ‘achieving net gains in biodiversity’. The Council’s Local Plan details the available supportive resources, policies and measures to enhance biodiversity in the borough’s different green spaces.

The Council also published a report from the Newham Citizens’ Assembly on Climate Change, which outlines that residents want the council to “plant areas of wildflowers to improve biodiversity and wellbeing”.

*These can be used as an opportunity – councils are undermining their own positive measures by continuing to use pesticides.

REDBRIDGE

The information below was provided by Redbridge Council to PAN UK in November 2021 in response to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request. It has not been verified or altered by PAN UK. Where the information provided was inconsistent or contradictory it has been highlighted.

The most recent full year for which data was available was 2020. This profile was published in April 2022.

The council directly manages the following areas: Parks and open spaces.

The council also employs a contractor: SH Goss Ltd

The contractor manages the following areas on behalf of the council: Highways (pavements, road gullies, tree pits and shrub beds).

Total amount of pesticides (herbicides) used by year

2018 – 697.93 litres
2019 – 894.2 litres
2020 – 909.43 litres

What policies does the council have in place to drive pesticide reduction?

Redbridge Council has an overarching commitment to reducing pesticides in their Green Urban Landscape Policy 2021-24. The policy states that “the use of chemical control should be further reduced” and commits to surveying other councils to compare the costs of different methods for managing weeds.

The Council told PAN UK that they have reduced the amount of glyphosate used in parks and open spaces by approximately 75% over the past five years, through a mix of weed suppression by mulching leaves on shrub beds, manual weeding and pesticide spot treatment.

The Council also have pesticide reduction measures in place for highways (pavements, tree pits and verges): they are no longer spraying grass verges (around street furniture and tree bases), or the more than 1,300 tree pits that have been ‘adopted’ and are now managed by residents. The highways team also conducts more frequent removal of detritus from footpaths to lessen the opportunities for weeds to grow.

The Council’s highways team trialled using acetic acid-based products to treat weeds but found these unsuitable. They are going to trial reducing treatments in shrub beds.

Other biodiversity measures?*

Redbridge Council declared a climate emergency in June 2019 and developed an accompanying Climate Action Plan which highlights the importance of improving biodiversity and creating new green spaces, such as wildflower ‘grow zones’.

The Council’s Green Urban Landscape Policy 2021-24 and its Local Plan detail how the borough can increase the quantity and quality of its biodiversity. They work in conjunction with the Council’s Biodiversity Action Plan (a revised version of which is currently being developed).

*These can be used as an opportunity – councils are undermining their own positive measures by continuing to use pesticides.

RICHMOND UPON THAMES

The information below was provided by Richmond Council to PAN UK in December 2021 in response to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request. It has not been verified or altered by PAN UK. Where the information provided was inconsistent or contradictory it has been highlighted.

The most recent full year for which data was available was 2020. This profile was published in April 2022.

The council directly manages the following areas: None

The council also employs a contractor: Continental Landscapes

The contractor manages the following areas on behalf of the council: Parks (hard surfaces) and open spaces (including playgrounds), and highways (pavements, tree pits).

Total amount of pesticides used by year:

2018 – 1,013 litres
2019 – 1,117 litres
2020 – 1,088 litres

What policies does the council have in place to drive pesticide reduction?

Richmond Council has published a Green Management Plan which mentions that “pesticides are used as and when necessary however this is kept to an absolute minimum in the interests of nature conservation and ecology. An Integrated Weed Management policy has been developed to assist decision-making”. This integrated weed management policy has not been made publicly available.

The Council’s Biodiversity Action Plan acknowledges the harmful effects of pesticides on urban wildlife and commits to reviewing their use.

Their Climate Change Strategy clearly states that they will “improve environmental practices in parks” which includes “increasing non-chemical weed treatments, increasing the area of meadows in parks, naturalising existing meadows” and enhancing wildlife corridors.

The Council also published its Climate Change Appendix which details upcoming plans to trial non-chemical alternatives on highways (pavements, tree pits and verges) and in parks.

Other biodiversity measures?*

The Council declared a climate emergency in July 2019 and published detailed climate change plans to increase biodiversity across the borough (see above).

The main aims of the Biodiversity Action Plan are to “conserve and enhance the variety of habitats and species” in the borough, to ensure that residents are aware of the biodiversity enhancement initiatives, and to encourage and increase resident engagement in maintaining these spaces.

They have placed various pollinator-friendly planters in the borough town centre to encourage bees and other pollinating insects.

*These can be used as an opportunity – councils are undermining their own positive measures by continuing to use pesticides.

SOUTHWARK

The information below was provided by Southwark Council to PAN UK in November 2021 in response to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request. It has not been verified or altered by PAN UK. Where the information provided was inconsistent or contradictory it has been highlighted.

The most recent full year for which data was available was 2020. This profile was published in April 2022.

The council manages the following areas: Parks and open spaces (including school and nursery grounds). Highways (pavements, tree pits, verges). Housing estates.

The council also employs a contractor: N/A

The contractor manages the following areas on behalf of the council: N/A

Total amount of pesticides (herbicides) used by year:

2018 – 120 litres
2019 – 1,360 litres
2020 – 1,293 litres

What policies does the council have in place to drive pesticide reduction?

Southwark Council’s Nature Action Plan 2020 includes a commitment to “reduce pesticide use and avoid using new planting containing neonicotinoids” and encourages residents to do the same.

Their Climate Change Strategy states that they will “review the current approach to the use of pesticides in the public realm to better protect residents, wildlife and promote biodiversity”.

The Council told PAN UK that they do not spray parks, schools or nursery grounds, and have ongoing trials to explore manual weeding methods and the use of a biopesticide called ‘Neway’.

Other biodiversity measures?*

Southwark Council declared a climate emergency in March 2019, with a commitment included in their Climate Action Strategy to “improve biodiversity and introduce new green corridors to help wildlife to move”.

The Nature Action Plan details the actions the Council will take to deliver on “protecting biodiversity and making nature accessible for all”, including managing land for the benefit of pollinators and other insects. Actions listed include reducing frequency of grass and hedgerow cutting regimes, and the removal of cut grass from wildflower-rich grasslands.

*These can be used as an opportunity – councils are undermining their own positive measures by continuing to use pesticides.

SUTTON

The information below was provided by Sutton Council to PAN UK in December 2021 in response to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request. It has not been verified or altered by PAN UK. Where the information provided was inconsistent or contradictory it has been highlighted.

The most recent full year for which data was available was 2020. This profile was published in April 2022.

The council directly manages the following areas: Highways (pavements, tree pits, verges). Housing grounds from 2020.

The council also employs a contractor: (1) ID Verde Ltd for grounds maintenance of parks and cemeteries. (2) City Suburban Limited from 2018 to 2020. Beeches Tree Care from 2020 onwards. (3) Glendale Limited from 2018 to 2019.

The contractor manages the following areas on behalf of the council: (1) Parks and open spaces (including cemeteries). (2) Tree maintenance. (3) Housing grounds.

Total amount of pesticides used by year:

2018 – 598.86 litres
2019 – 727.81 litres
2020 – 740.3 litres

What policies does the council have in place to drive pesticide reduction?

Sutton Council has no published policy to reduce pesticide use but they told PAN UK that they ‘seek to minimise use of pesticides’ and that many of their plans ‘stipulate taking a more tolerant approach to weeds’. The Council do acknowledge the damaging effects of pesticide usage to wildlife habitats in their Biodiversity Strategy 2020-25.

The Council told PAN UK that they have adopted an ‘Integrated Weed Management Plan’ (which looks to use chemical-free alternatives to manage weeds) in their parks and open spaces. They also stated that they don’t use herbicides on grass areas except for spaces with an ‘operational requirement’ such as bowling greens.

On highways (pavements, tree pits and verges), the Council shared they are looking at ‘designing out weeds’ by dense ground cover planting, and using sealed surfacing materials such as tarmac rather than block paving.

They told PAN UK that they are also working with community and friends groups to adopt areas and take responsibility for weed management.

Other biodiversity measures?*

Sutton Council declared a climate emergency in July 2019, and released an accompanying Environment Strategy 2019-25 and a Local Plan 2016-31. A key focus of their various plans and strategies is on maintaining and enhancing the biodiversity value of the borough as well as improving access to nature. They outline measures such as the creation of new green spaces and wildlife corridors, including green rooves, pocket parks, community growing spaces, and biodiversity-enhancing landscaping.

The Council’s Biodiversity Strategy further details different habitat action plans, which include many pollinator-friendly measures and the creation of new habitats.

*These can be used as an opportunity – councils are undermining their own positive measures by continuing to use pesticides.

TOWER HAMLETS

The information below was provided by Tower Hamlets Council to PAN UK in October 2021 in response to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request. It has not been verified or altered by PAN UK. Where the information provided was inconsistent or contradictory it has been highlighted.

The most recent full year for which data was available was 2020. This profile was published in April 2022.

The council directly manages the following areas: Parks and open spaces (including bowling greens).

The council also employs a contractor: Bow Maintenance and Landscapes

The contractor manages the following areas on behalf of the council: Highways (pavements, tree pits, verges), and parks (unclear how these differ from parks managed by the council directly).

Total amount of pesticides (herbicides) used by year:

2018 – 245 litres
2019 – 210 litres
2020 – 377 litres

What policies does the council have in place to drive pesticide reduction?

Tower Hamlets Council has a pesticide policy for its green spaces which states that they don’t use pesticides, with the exception of fungicides on bowling greens and herbicides used for treating invasive species.

The Council told PAN UK that they are also reducing the frequency with which they spray highways (pavements, tree pits and verges) from four to two times per year.

Other biodiversity measures?*

Tower Hamlets Council declared a climate emergency in March 2019 and released an accompanying Net Zero Carbon Plan which aims to enhance the borough’s biodiversity and green infrastructure for people and wildlife. They also have a Local Plan which details their policy on urban greening and biodiversity.

The Council’s Biodiversity Action Plan details measures to be implemented in different habitats across the borough, including the creation of pollinator-friendly flower-rich grassland areas.

*These can be used as an opportunity – councils are undermining their own positive measures by continuing to use pesticides.

WALTHAM FOREST

The information below was provided by Waltham Forest Council to PAN UK in November 2021 in response to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request. It has not been verified or altered by PAN UK. Where the information provided was inconsistent or contradictory it has been highlighted.

The most recent full year for which data was available was 2020. This profile was published in April 2022.

The council directly manages the following areas: Housing estates (green spaces), parks and open spaces.

The council also employs a contractor: Urbaser Ltd

The contractor manages the following areas on behalf of the council: Highways (pavements, tree pits, verges).

Total amount of pesticides (herbicides) used by year:

2018 – 3,400 litres
2019 – 3,200 litres
2020 – 2,532 litres

What policies does the council have in place to drive pesticide reduction?

Waltham Forest Council’s Open Space Strategy outlines that the borough’s parks and open spaces are part of the Green Flag Award scheme which judges green spaces on various sustainability factors including pesticide use, rewarding land managers if they don’t use chemicals to manage weeds. The Council’s Biodiversity Action Plan also acknowledges that herbicides are harmful to biodiversity and need to be ‘used carefully’.

The Council told PAN UK that they stopped using pesticides in parks and open spaces in 2019, and are now using a Foamstream machine (hot foam) and have also introduced more wildflower meadows. They continue to use pesticides to treat invasive species such as Japanese Knotweed and Giant Hogweed.

The Council have no policy for pesticide-use on highways (pavements, tree pits, verges), but they have recently introduced ‘Bee Friendly Streets‘ to encourage residents “to hand-weed their streets to stop the use of harmful chemicals and help precious pollinators to thrive”. They also told PAN UK that they have reduced the frequency of spraying on other roads from four sprays per year to three, and are trialling spraying just twice per year on some streets. The Council expects to continue to reduce their use of pesticides.

Other biodiversity measures?*

Waltham Forest Council declared a climate emergency in April 2019, and published an accompanying Climate Emergency Commission which has a target for ‘biodiversity adaptation and resilience’ by “giving power and resources to residents to help make our public spaces greener” and “maximising greening” and “boosting diversity”.

The Waltham Forest Infrastructure Delivery Plan 2020 , the Biodiversity Action Plan and the Open Space Strategy detail different measures designed to increase biodiversity habitat and establish wildlife corridors, including increasing flower rich grassland by relaxing mowing, allowing pockets of native scrub, and the Bee Friendly Streets scheme (which is already mentioned above).

*These can be used as an opportunity – councils are undermining their own positive measures by continuing to use pesticides.

WANDSWORTH

The information below was provided by Wandsworth Council to PAN UK in November 2021 in response to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request. It has not been verified or altered by PAN UK. Where the information provided was inconsistent or contradictory it has been highlighted.

The most recent full year for which data was available was 2020. This profile was published in April 2022.

The council directly manages the following areas: None

The council also employs a contractor: (1) ID Verde until 2021. Continental Landscapes Limited from February 2021. (2) Languard Vegetation Management. (3) Ground Control Ltd, Pinnacle, Lewis and Graves.

The contractor manages the following areas on behalf of the council: (1) Parks, open spaces (including cemeteries). (2) Highways (pavements, tree pits, verges). (3) Housing estate (green spaces).

Total amount of pesticides used by year:

2018 – 195.01 litres
2019 – 105.02 litres
2020 – 17.9 litres

What policies does the council have in place to drive pesticide reduction?

Wandsworth Council has no published policies aimed at reducing pesticide use in the borough.

They told PAN UK that they are trialling ‘no spray zones’ in parks and open spaces, and are increasingly using manual weeding methods.

On highways (streets, tree pits, verges), the Council told PAN UK they have reduced their pesticide use by hand-weeding both tall weeds (over 10cm) and weeds in tree pits that have seeded, and by suppressing weed growth and removing new growth through daily cleaning with a mechanical sweeper.

Other biodiversity measures?*

Wandsworth Council declared a climate emergency in July 2019 and developed an accompanying Environment and Sustainability Strategy 2019 -2030 which includes a focus on ‘urban greening’ through increasing and enhancing green infrastructure, and enabling community and voluntary groups’ participation in green space management.

The Council’s Local Plan also focuses on the borough’s environmental objectives, and includes the commitment to “protect and enhance open spaces and the natural environment, and seek the protection and enhancement of habitat and biodiversity”.

The Council outlines biodiversity enhancing and ‘urban greening’ commitments in their Biodiversity Strategy, such as creating ‘nature recovery networks’, and wildlife corridors. The Strategy states that they will release more detail in 2022 in their Biodiversity Action Plan.

The Council also takes part in the ‘No Mow May’ campaign to support pollinators.

*These can be used as an opportunity – councils are undermining their own positive measures by continuing to use pesticides.

WESTMINSTER

The information below was provided by Westminster Council to PAN UK in October 2021 in response to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request. It has not been verified or altered by PAN UK. Where the information provided was inconsistent or contradictory it has been highlighted.

The most recent full year for which data was available was 2020. This profile was published in April 2022.

The council directly manages the following areas: Highways (pavement, tree pits and verges).

The council also employs a contractor: Continental Landscapes

The contractor manages the following areas: Parks and open spaces (including cemeteries).

Total amount of pesticides used by year:

2018 – 10 litres
2019 – 7.5 litres
2020 -7.5 litres

What policies does the council have in place to drive pesticide reduction?

Westminster Council does not have a public pesticide policy, but they told PAN UK that the grounds maintenance contract includes a policy to use minimal amounts of chemicals in parks, open spaces and cemeteries.

The Council also told PAN UK that no pesticides are used to maintain highways (pavements, tree pits and verges), instead using manual weeding methods which include hoeing, sweeping, raking and mulching, and suppressing weed growth by planting up bare areas. Herbicides are used only as an exception through ‘spot treatments’ to manage invasive species such as Japanese Knotweed, and on paths in some parks.

Other biodiversity measures?*

Westminster Council declared a climate emergency in September 2019, and released an accompanying Greener City Action Plan which aims to “make the best use of open spaces and improve local biodiversity”.

The Council’s Biodiversity Action Plan supports this document and details measures to be put into action. This focuses mainly on ‘supporting pollinators’ by nurturing London’s wild bees and encouraging more bee-keeping. The Council also encourages residents to maintain bee-friendly gardens.

*These can be used as an opportunity – councils are undermining their own positive measures by continuing to use pesticides.