Proposed Glyphosate Reintroduction – A Transition Response

Key Background Information

Following Cornwall Council’s decision to reintroduce glyphosate into the public realm (now put on hold pending a consultation) the time is right to discuss alternative approaches to using pesticides for weed control.

Here below is some key background information.

The coverage in the Falmouth Packet (and the Voice) has been extensive and informative.

The Pesticide Action Network UK website https://www.pan-uk.org/glyphosate/ paints a convincing picture of the harmful effects of this herbicide on the health of the environment, humans, animals, wild flowers, and especially insects. It also provides an insight into how some councils across the country responded (or did not respond) to their glyphosate survey early last year https://www.pan-uk.org/pesticide-free/

Another piece of key local information about glyphosate use has come from 200 health professionals (inc. 70 doctors) who wrote a letter to Cornwall Council raising concerns about its decision to reintroduce glyphosate. See here for the detail.

Also the RHS is against the use of pesticides in gardens https://www.rhs.org.uk/prevention-protection/weeds-non-chemical-control

In the EU there are countries that have banned the use of glyphosate in public spaces, for example;

Portugal: Prohibits the use of glyphosate in all public spaces. Also Germany continues to prohibit glyphosate use in public spaces and water conservation areas, Other countries such as Austria, France, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg have also introduced partial bans, prohibiting its use in certain areas.

Source: https://www.wisnerbaum.com/toxic-tort-law/monsanto-roundup-lawsuit/where-is-glyphosate-banned/

Note: the current EU position is summarised here by the EU Food Information Council. Glyphosate is not banned in the EU, but its use has been authorised for another 10 years with conditions. The EU decision is being challenged by PAN (Pesticide Action Network) – Europe

All this adds up to genuine concern over glyphosate being used in public (or private) areas. It is widely recognised that we are in the grip of a Nature depletion emergency, and everything possible needs to be done to protect pollinators, other insects and creatures in the wild from harm.

See “UK’s Bumblebees are in Crisis” at the Bumblebee Conservation Trust by visiting https://www.bumblebeeconservation.org/

Local policies to consider

Cornwall Council’s (CC) Nature Recovery Strategy (2025) quotes Wadebridge Town Council’s policy as being an “Inspiration” on page 170, who have been free from spraying since 2016. They use a self-drive powered brush weeder, gas flame, strimmer and hand-weeding mostly in parks and gardens. See https://www.wadebridge-tc.gov.uk/services/parks/pesticide-free

N.B. CC has an extensive Making Space for Nature policy commitment to create havens for bees, butterflies and other insects,birds and hedgehogs – check this link which includes the Wadebridge example

One suggestion is that local councils that use pesticides should produce maps showing where glyphosate is used. This would alert humans and their animals (dogs), but bees and butterflies and other insects do NOT read maps – and it is they who are at greatest risk from interacting with “weeds” (often wildflowers in the “wrong” place) – which have been treated with glyphosate.

We wait to see how individual town and parish councils respond in due course now that Cornwall Council has paused the reintroduction of glyphosate, until a “meaningful consultation” has taken place, but clearly alternative solutions need to be thoroughly researched and discussed

Proposed Local Solutions

Draw on the experience of Climate Vision who introduced the highly successful Community Payback Scheme for low risk offenders in 2015, working on flood prevention initiatives (The Leaf Litter Project) – which could be revisited to include non-chemical weed control.
Check out City Councillor James Tucker’s Green Boot Camp (GBC) idea which appeared as a letter in the Truro Voice. The focus here is on opportunities for making use of the timber from fallen trees, but the principle is sound and acknowledges the “expanding green economy” – which could include keeping “weeds” under control by non-chemical means – see Task Force proposals below
Explore Falmouth University’s Kickstart a Greener Future courses which are “ideal for anyone curious about the green economy, looking for meaningful work that contributes to a better future” Although only one week in duration, these Bootcamp courses could be a good starting point for moving into other environmental courses, or temporary/voluntary work to gain experience. Perhaps they could be expanded in duration and content?
Create local Volunteer Environmental Task Forces/Groups of the willing and able – with a training element where appropriate – to take part in environmental protection work. This would need fleshing out into a recognised Community Programme of supervised work, to give participants the chance to do something worthwhile for their local communities, and, where appropriate, gain useful basic skills e.g. an NVQ in Environmental Conservation.

The programme of work would cover a variety of environmental tasks, and include keeping selected areas in the public realm free of “weeds” and leaf litter – where flooding is also an issue – which are considered to be damaging the highways and by-ways, by using all non-chemical means at our disposal

See PAN UK for alternative methods of weed control https://www.pan-uk.org/pesticide-free/

Quote: “There are many alternatives available to councils wishing to reduce, or end, their use of pesticides. These range from traditional methods such as manual weeding to more high-tech solutions such as steam, hot foam and brushing machines. There are also alternative ‘organic’ herbicides, such as pelargonic and acetic acid which, while not always completely harmless to wildlife, are much less harmful than synthetic pesticides. Councils on the pesticide-free journey should also consider which areas can be left to grow wild for the benefit of biodiversity”

“PAN UK is available to advise councils as they devise bespoke strategies for ending pesticide use tailored to fit their local context. Our Guide to Alternatives is available here“

Revisit elements of the Youth Opportunities Programme (which included work experience placements, short courses and community projects) which was launched in 1976; along with the Job Creation Programme (for the older client group – which morphed into the MSC Community Programme) giving many people the support and basic skills they needed to eventually secure employment and/or training.

Although these were nationally funded programmes in response to high levels of unemployment; the principles were sound, and they generally worked well, giving participants structure to their days, and often pathways into training and regular employment

N.B.: there are, once again, currently significantly high numbers of young people under 25 struggling to find employment/training nationally, and here in Cornwall. See Cornwall Live (November 2025), and this is likely to get worse without significant interventions.

The Government is aware of this, and it is hoped the findings and recommendations of the Milburn Review due out shortly will provide similar solutions – as mentioned above – to unemployment amongst young people in particular. Community-based environmental work has a key part to play in this and must be properly valued as such.

The Green/Circular Economy

The Green Economy has immense potential for employment and developing skills and training across the board e.g. in the Circular Economy where repair, repurposing/reusing and recycling can, not only create opportunities for young people in particular to learn new skills, but help conserve valuable resources, protect Nature (less demand for raw materials and less pollution); reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions.

This is recognised by many key organisations, including the Government; whose Circular Economy Strategy is due to be published – hopefully, in the next few months

Transition Falmouth would like to see the revival of the previously successful Tools Shed Project, as formerly run by the Conservation Foundation in conjunction with Suez’s HWRC network here in Cornwall https://conservationfoundation.co.uk/projects/tools/. But, instead of unwanted/broken garden tools going to Dartmoor Prison (now closed) for repair, they could be refurbished in workshops based here in Cornwall
These workshops could also be the place where unwanted tradesmen’s/women’s tools are repurposed/repaired for reuse locally, or transferred to the excellent Tools for Self Reliance Project (HQ in Southampton) for shipment to meet the needs of countries overseas – particularly Africa. See https://www.tfsr.org/ the skills developed in these workshops would be transferable and help improve well-being.
Initiatives such as the national Deposit Return Scheme (due to launch in October 2027) – and increased reuse and recycling generally – could also provide local employment/training in the Waste/Recycling sector by helping keep materials (plastic and metal) out of the environment and in circulation for repurposing.
Transition Falmouth’s Circular Economy Guide “Too Good to Waste“ contains references to a number of inspiring “circular” initiatives in the mid-Cornwall area which could provide opportunities for expansion and development e.g. Repair Cafes, Reuse Shops, Bicycle repair – where young people can acquire basic skills before moving into work, or further education/skills training.

In all the above proposals – at whatever level they take place – participants who may have been out of education, work or training for a significant period could gain self-confidence and improved health and well-being from working in a team, feeling valued and not “lost” in isolation

Conclusion

Every effort needs to be made to avoid using pesticides of any description in the public realm.

We need a policy which encourages councils and local neighbourhoods to become mobilised/incentivised to engage with areas which might need weed control, without using glyphosate, by the means mentioned above.

This can be achieved by offering valuable community-based work and training opportunities to young and older people who need additional help and support to get a foothold in the local labour market – as part of a wider programme involving the Green/Circular Economy

The key underlying motivation must be to protect our insect, bird and other small creature population from harm, help Nature Recovery take place across the public realm, and beyond, and ensure green spaces and the marine environment are kept free from pollution.

Transition Falmouth

Engaging the community in designing a vibrant low energy future