Pesticide use in towns and cities

That this House recognises the harm caused to both human health and the environment by the use of pesticides such as glyphosate in our villages, towns, cities and public spaces; notes that glyphosate was designated as probably carcinogenic to humans by the World Health Organisation in 2015, is increasingly being linked to Parkinson’s, and can be toxic to wildlife including bees; further notes that overuse of pesticides in towns and cities is destroying areas that wildlife, including birds, insects, bees and hedgehogs, rely on for food and shelter, and that pesticides run off hard surfaces such as pavements, thereby contaminating water courses and harming aquatic life; commends the more than 100 local authorities across the UK that have either ended their use of pesticides or taken significant steps towards doing so despite limited funds and resources, including by pursuing manual methods such as hand weeding and strimming, new technologies like hot foam and mechanical brushes, and by embracing greener public spaces which benefit both human wellbeing and wildlife; further recognises the importance of ensuring that infrastructure and public spaces remain accessible to all users, including those with accessibility needs; therefore urges local authorities to consult with local disability stakeholders regarding their transition to non-chemical alternatives for weed control; and calls for legislation to be introduced to implement a national phase-out of all pesticide use in public areas under local authority control as has been done in France and Luxembourg.