Earlier this year the Council agreed to declare war on climate change. This shows a strong commitment by us all to stop the actions that lead to the decline in the quality of our environment including air quality, polluting chemicals and loss of biodiversity.
Sadly, across the whole of Medway we have seen an increased use of glyphosate based herbicides in many of our greenspaces and parks.
These herbicides are being used to control weeds, which are simply wildflowers, around the base of sign posts and along verges, and they have also been sprayed around trees.
Across the country we have seen a sharp decline in so many species of invertebrates, including bees and butterflies. There has also been severe declines in the species that feed on them including amphibians and birds. By their very nature herbicides are poisons used to kill plants and their impact through the food chain on all species is not fully understood, but there are obvious links.
The main reason for the use of these chemicals in our parks and gardens is to tidy up weeds, which are the wildflowers so important to our local biodiversity.
Does the Council agree that the time has come to stop using harmful chemicals in the places where our children play, where we walk our pets and which we value so much for our environment?
Minutes:
“Earlier this year the Council agreed to declare war on climate change. This shows a strong commitment by us all to stop the actions that lead to the decline in the quality of our environment including air quality, polluting chemicals and loss of biodiversity.
Sadly, across the whole of Medway we have seen an increased use of glyphosate based herbicides in many of our greenspaces and parks.
These herbicides are being used to control weeds, which are simply wildflowers, around the base of sign posts and along verges, and they have also been sprayed around trees.
Across the country we have seen a sharp decline in so many species of invertebrates, including bees and butterflies. There has also been severe declines in the species that feed on them including amphibians and birds. By their very nature herbicides are poisons used to kill plants and their impact through the food chain on all species is not fully understood, but there are obvious links.
The main reason for the use of these chemicals in our parks and gardens is to tidy up weeds, which are the wildflowers so important to our local biodiversity.
Does the Council agree that the time has come to stop using harmful chemicals in the places where our children play, where we walk our pets and which we value so much for our environment?”
The Portfolio Holder for Resources, Councillor Gulvin, answered this question on behalf of Councillor Doe.
Councillor Gulvin thanked Councillor Curry for his question. He stated that each year the Council undertook planting to help improve the environment, and in the last winter months 100,000 crocus bulbs had been planted across Medway. The Council had worked successfully with Kent Wildlife Trust for many years in numerous ecology projects around Medway and created 1000s of square meters of wild flowers and natural grass for wildlife. The Council was currently working with partners, such as Plant Life and Kent Wildlife Trust to develop projects, such as mini meadows on highway verges that would enhance the biodiversity across Medway.
He stated that the Council, in keeping with most local authorities, undertook spraying of assets, tree bases and fence / wall lines as a way of reducing the risk of damage by strimming, in keeping with the Health and Safety Executive guidelines. The Council regularly reviewed any chemical spraying in line with regulations to ensure it was working safely and was compliant with regulations.
He stated that a Glyphosate-based weed killer was used, approved for use in public areas. This was absorbed into the plant and killed both the green leaves and roots of the weeds. This chemical was absorbed through the green leaves, killed only the plant and was neutralised on contact with the soil. Glyphosate, when applied in the diluted form as by the Council, had an extremely low toxicity to animals and posed minimal risk to humans or pets which accidentally came into contact with the substance.
He concluded by stating that the use of chemical herbicide was carefully controlled by the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and that all commercial available chemicals had been subject to vigorous testing and were approved for sale by DEFRA.