Parish council to ban ‘dangerous’ weedkiller?

MELKSHAM Without Parish is exploring how it can phase out the use of the controversial herbicide, glyphosate, in public areas it manages.

Currently, the parish council occasionally uses glyphosate – a herbicide that has been banned in many countries over fears about its health risks and effects on the environment – as a “spot treatment” on weeds and does not use it widely on its open spaces.

The ban was proposed by cllr Paul Taylor in October last year, and in response, parish councillors resolved to research other alternatives available. 

Updating councillors at a meeting last month, parish clerk, Teresa Strange, told councillors that the parish council had purchased five litres of a glyphosate-free weedkiller, used “with success” by Tisbury Parish Council, that will be trialled in the near future.

However, at the meeting, vice-chair, cllr John Glover warned that he was sceptical of its success and said that he feels there is “no obvious replacement” for glyphosate.

The decision to explore banning the herbicide follows in the footsteps of the town council, which in 2018 banned the use of glyphosate-based herbicide, Roundup.

The town council went one step further last year, banning the use of all toxic and environmentally harmful herbicides, pesticides and insecticides, on all green spaces managed by the town council, including allotments.