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Response 3620789

Response to request for information

Reference

3620789

Response date

11 February 2025

Request

  1. Does the Council, or contractors acting on behalf of the Council, use herbicides in the following areas:
    1. Parks and green spaces YES/NO
    2. Cemeteries YES/NO
    3. Playing fields YES/NO
    4. Road verges and roundabouts YES/NO
    5. Hard surfaces such as pavements and highways YES/NO
    6. Housing estates YES/NO
  2. What volume of herbicides did the Council, or contractors acting on behalf of the Council, use from 1 January to 31 December 2024? Please answer in litres or kilograms.
  3. Does the council, or contractors acting on behalf of the Council, use glyphosate-based herbicides? YES/NO
  4. How much money did the Council spend on costs associated to buying and using herbicides from 1 January to 31 December 2024? Please include all costs, including but not limited to; the purchase of pesticide products, application equipment and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), staff training and costs associated to outsourcing to contractors.
  5. How many complaints did the Council receive about weeds from 1st January to 31st December 2024?
  6. Does the Council have a policy in place aimed at reducing or ending the use of herbicides on land under its control? YES/NO If YES, please provide a link to the policy or provide a hard copy if not available online.

Response

  1. Does the Council, or contractors acting on behalf of the Council, use herbicides in the following areas:
    1. Parks and green spaces - YES
    2. Cemeteries - YES
    3. Playing fields - YES
    4. Road verges and roundabouts - YES
    5. Hard surfaces such as pavements and highways - YES
    6. Housing estates - YES

Please note: No herbicides have been used on behalf of the Ecology Team.

  1. What volume of herbicides did the Council, or contractors acting on behalf of the Council, use from 1 January to 31 December 2024? Please answer in litres or kilograms.

    • RBC used 22,887.5 litres herbicides and 34 eco plugs 

    • We have external company for leather jackets treatment, and they have used following: 

      • Acelepryn 2.4 litres 

      • Junction 10.8 litres 

      • Ascophyllum 36 litres

  2. Does the council, or contractors acting on behalf of the Council, use glyphosate-based herbicides?

    Yes we do use glyphosate

  3. How much money did the Council spend on costs associated to buying and using herbicides from 1 January to 31 December 2024? Please include all costs, including but not limited to; the purchase of pesticide products, application equipment and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), staff training and costs associated to outsourcing to contractors.

    £894.80 spent by RBC, £6350 for additional contractor.

  4. How many complaints did the Council receive about weeds from 1 January to 31 December 2024?

    We don’t keep a record of such complaints, therefore the information is not held.

  5. Does the Council have a policy in place aimed at reducing or ending the use of herbicides on land under its control? YES/NO If YES, please provide a link to the policy or provide a hard copy if not available online.

    In 2021 the Council stopped using herbicide to control grass growth at the base of trees this was previously done to prevent mower damage, we now allow the grass to grow long. We also reduced the frequency of applications to no more than twice a year. The Council’s Environment Policy commits to: “5. Environmental Protection – We will adopt the principles of best practicable means and best available technology not entailing excessive costs to minimise and, where possible, eliminate the release of any pollutant that may cause environmental damage to air, water or land, including avoiding unnecessary use of chemicals, herbicides and pesticides”.

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