51 Ascot Walk Kingston Park Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 2UF 23.12.20 [email protected] 0191 2146173 Dear Cllr Forbes and Ms Ritchie, Newcastle City Council (NCC) continue to use herbicides, such as glyphosate, to control the growth of weeds on hard surfaces – mainly pavements and gutters. The spray is applied by a contractor using a ride-on vehicle. We welcome the fact that there has been no backpack spraying of herbicides, by council staff or contractors, in many areas of the city this year. We do hope that this is due to a decision to permanently stop applying herbicides in this way and not a temporary measure for Covid-related reasons. We urge NCC to phase out the use of herbicides to control weeds except for limited purposes such as treating Japanese Knotweed. We suggest instead that they consider alternative methods of weed control that do not risk exposing humans, pets and nature to potentially harmful chemicals. The change from using hazardous chemicals to manage weeds to safe methods has been made by many UK local authorities and housing associations. Several countries ( France, Holland, Denmark) have imposed blanket bans on the amenity use of glyphosate and other herbicides for weed control. For example the 2014 Labbe law banned the use of pesticides by French local authorities except in special circumstances. The key reasons that councils and housing associations have made this change are safeguarding their residents’ health and supporting local biodiversity. Particularly vulnerable are children as they are more susceptible and nearer to potential exposure; dogs, as they sniff around, attracted to recently sprayed vegetation; and insects critical to the balance of our local ecosystem. The weed control method that several local authorities and housing associations now use is a ride-on brush machine. These include Sheffield, Portsmouth, Cleveland, Penzance, Isle of Man and the University of Lincoln. A German company called Westermann produce a popular ride-on machine – Honda Brush Machine. The chief distributor in the UK is Spa Power Machinery (tel. 0114 269119). These machines are convenient to use. They can resolve a complaint from the public about weeds very quickly. I know from the time I have spent on a Pesticide Free Newcastle campaign stall outside the Civic Centre that the great majority of the public, after the issue has been explained to them, support the council changing to pesticide free methods of weed control. Not a single person that I have spoken to has defended the continued use of chemicals methods by the council when safe alternatives are available. 120 people last year signed the “I support the Pesticide Free Newcastle Campaign” petition. Many receive email updates on the campaign. In the context of such support for alternatives, we also suggest that the NCC consider leaving clearly defined areas un-weeded, with signs to educate residents that these are ‘biodiversity friendly’ zones. It has been shown that residents, once made aware of the project, value these spaces and the aesthetics they bring. We would very much welcome the opportunity of discussing this further with you at a meeting with the charity Pesticide Action UK in attendance. They will be able to supply you with the very latest information. Finally I would like to give you a list of quotes made by some Edinburgh school children. They were part of a successful campaign to make their local district pesticide free. Marc: “We don’t want glyphosate where we walk, run and cycle to school. There’s also many people that have little brothers or sisters who are baby toddlers that are learning to walk on the pavements” Ben: “We already have climate change and pesticides, at least we can stop one of them” James: “I want a pesticide-free Balerno because I want to protect biodiversity. Insects are important for us all and our birds and hedgehogs too” Felix: “Even when glyphosate is only applied on the hard surfaces it still can be stood on by our dogs, cats and insects. Safe alternatives like hot foam or manual weeding does not hurt humans or pets” Yours sincerely John Wilson, BA, BSc NGSI, Chair Lydia Koelmans BA Hons, CQSW, Secretary NGSI, Spital Tongues Additional signatures: Professor Alastair Bonnett, Professor of Social Geography, Newcastle University Dr Caleb Johnstone, Senior Lecturer in Human Geographies, Newcastle University Dr Lindsay Bramwell, Dept. of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Northumbria University Dr Sue Haile, Senior Lecturer, School of Engineering, Newcastle University Dr Hannah Davis, Lecturer ,School of Natural and Environmental sciences. Newcastle University Gillian Butler, Senior Lecturer, School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University Pesticide Action Network UK, national charity coordinating the Pesticide Free Towns campaign. Rachel Locke, BA Hons, M.Sc, Save Newcastle Wildlife, Hazlerigg Mark Ridsdill Smith, Vertical Veg, Gosforth Sarah Foster, Durham Angela Farley, Fenham David Rochester, Fenham Alison Whalley BA, Green Party, Wideopen Cleone Bostock, Jesmond Jane Neatrour, South Gosforth Joanne Ibbotson. Jesmond Peter Humble, Dene Ward, Newcastle Brenda Humble, Dene Ward, Newcastle .