A new study, launched today, has found residues of the weedkiller glyphosate and its toxic breakdown product – AMPA – in English playgrounds.
PAN UK tested samples of soil and plant material and swabbed children’s play equipment in thirteen playgrounds across three English counties and two London boroughs. None of the playgrounds were particularly close to agricultural fields, suggesting that the contamination detected is likely to originate from the widespread use of glyphosate by UK councils to remove unwanted plants in public spaces.
“It is deeply concerning to find a Highly Hazardous Pesticide like glyphosate present in the very places where our children play. UK glyphosate use has skyrocketed in recent years, as has the evidence linking this chemical to serious health conditions. We all know that young children tend to put their fingers and other items in their mouths so finding glyphosate residues in playgrounds, including on play equipment such as swings and slides, is particularly worrying.” Nick Mole, Policy Officer, PAN UK
Glyphosate has been linked repeatedly to a range of chronic diseases, most notably cancer. Children are more vulnerable than adults to the health impacts of pesticides since their brains and bodies are still in development and less able to cope with toxins. A 2023 study from UC Berkeley School of Public Health found that childhood exposure to glyphosate and AMPA threatens to increase the risk of developing serious disease in later life, such as liver cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
Example of herbicide spraying in a playground. Credit Dave Goulson.
While roughly 45% of UK councils are taking action to end or reduce their pesticide use, the majority continue to use glyphosate in public spaces such as parks and pavements, usually for cosmetic purposes. Councils reported using a total of 354 tonnes of pesticides in 2024, roughly equivalent to the weight of 23 double decker buses. According to official data, glyphosate-based products make up 96% of all pesticide active substances applied by local councils.
Professor Michael Antoniou, a specialist in Molecular Genetics and Toxicology at Kings College London and UK contributor to the recently published Global Glyphosate Study, said “Our studies have shown that exposure to glyphosate herbicides is a significant risk factor for the development of a range of serious health conditions, including fatty liver and kidney disease and, most worryingly, a wide range of cancers including leukaemias. The assertion by government regulators that glyphosate is ‘safe’ does not stand up to latest scientific scrutiny, which shows that a ‘safe’ dose of glyphosate is, at present, unknown. Thus, all efforts should be made to reduce glyphosate herbicide use in both agricultural and urban settings, and to eliminate unnecessary routes of exposure, especially for children.”
Herbicide application in a playground. Credit J. Wilson.
Of the five areas in which playgrounds were tested, the London Borough of Hackney was the only location where neither glyphosate nor its breakdown product – AMPA – were found. Hackney Council went pesticide-free in all its parks and green spaces and on housing estates in 2021. They have also introduced a range of other measures which have significantly decreased the amount of pesticides used in other settings across the borough.
Hackney Councillor Alastair Binnie-Lubbock said “We are very proud to be protecting the health of our residents, council workers and the natural environment by hugely reducing the amount of glyphosate we use and declaring areas such as green spaces to be entirely pesticide-free. This study shows that parents and children can spend time in Hackney’s playgrounds without having to worry about toxic pesticides. We urge other UK councils to tackle their own pesticide use. While it may seem daunting at first, it’s actually not that hard to do, can save money in the long-run and is hugely popular with residents.”
PAN UK is urging all UK councils to adopt its tried and tested ‘three-year phase out plan’ to join the fifty UK councils that have already gone pesticide-free.
Campaigners are also calling for the UK, Northern Irish, Scottish and Welsh governments to follow the examples of France, Denmark and the Netherlands by introducing nationwide bans on pesticide use in public spaces. Any ban would need to be accompanied by a package of support for councils to help them adopt safe and sustainable non-chemical alternatives.
There is currently a Bill going through parliament – tabled by Sian Berry MP – which would end pesticide use by local councils in England. Chemicals Minister Emma Hardy has acknowledged the need for local councils to reduce their pesticide use but is yet to take any concrete action.
The UK government is set to launch a major public consultation on whether to reapprove glyphosate in early 2026, with a final decision due by mid-December. Children’s health advocates will be calling for a complete ban on the use of glyphosate in public spaces, including playgrounds.
