Green Party member thanks Harlow Council for stopping use of weedkiller
Health / Mon 16th Jun 2025 at 08:23am
A MEMBER of the Green Party in Harlow has congratulated Harlow Council over their decision to stop using weedkiller.
Jennifer Steadman has campaigned against the use of weedkiller for a number of years.
She asked a number of questions at last weeks’s cabinet meeting.
Jennifer Steadman to Councillor Nicky Purse (Portfolio Holder for Environment and Sustainability):
Since I last questioned Council in July 2024 on the use of dangerous weedkillers around Harlow, I note that the Harlow Council website now states ‘HTS strim weeds to stop unsightly growth – they do not use harmful weed control solutions.’
On behalf of our wildlife and Harlow residents I thank you sincerely for removing the use of these dangerous chemicals.
Can you please clarify the date at which this method was introduced and confirm that this is now a total blanket ban and that the use of dangerous weedkillers such as Glyphosate based solutions will now be confined to the
Harlow history books as a method to control the weeds in Harlow?
Reply from Councillor Nicky Purse (Portfolio Holder for Environment and
Sustainability):
Thank you, Ms Steadman, for your continued engagement and for your kind words on behalf of Harlow’s wildlife and residents.
I can confirm that the Council instructed HTS to stop using weedkillers on all grassed areas from the start of the 2025 grass cutting season, which began on 5 March 2025. This marked the formal introduction of our updated service standard, which now prioritises mechanical weed control methods such as strimming to maintain green spaces without relying on chemical herbicides.
To clarify: the use of Glyphosate and similar chemical weedkillers is now prohibited on all grassed and soft landscaped areas managed by HTS on behalf of the Council. However, for the time being, targeted application on certain hard surface areas, such as pavements and kerb lines, is still permitted where mechanical control is not yet a viable alternative.
We recognise the importance of moving toward a more environmentally sustainable approach and are actively exploring and trialling alternative methods to manage weeds on hard surfaces as well. Our long-term goal is to phase out chemical weed control entirely where safe and practical alternatives exist.
We are committed to transparency and continuous improvement, and I welcome further dialogue as we progress in this important area.
AB
2025-06-16 09:18:57
Well done Green Party for tackling a local matter over which local government has direct responsibility; rather than spouting about national matters for which local government does not have any responsibility.
JR
2025-06-16 11:26:23
Well done Green Party for stopping the use of chemicals on weeds to grass areas....BUT it also needs desperately to be stopped & banned from pavements & curbsides around estates in total. It is NOT save for our pets of cats & dogs neither wild life of birds as all noses & beaks are 99% to the ground. The way it is sprayed is not directed to the weeds as every person I have seen driving these vehicle which does the spraying need to take not only lessons in spraying the actual weeds but also to drive these vehicles as they go way too fast. The spray ends up floating in the air behind them & not on weeds at all. I should imagine this job needs a lot of patience as it can not be done at a rate of knots accurately as these guys do. I for one if I see them outside my house spraying this toxic stuff tell them not to do so near my house as I have a cat & dog plus their are lots of wildlife looking for food along edges of bushes etc. It should be banned world wide, after always saying "protect our wild life"!! It's a dangerous substance to use both for animals & humans when directed & sprayed totally the wrong way by person on the spraying vehicle's as the job is always done unprofessionaly without any thoughts apart from racing around on these spraying machines.
Chris
2025-06-16 13:14:26
"Weeds - HTS strim weeds to stop unsightly growth - they do not use harmful weed control solutions." https://www.harlow.gov.uk/environment-and-animals/grass-hedges-and-weeds 16/6/2025 This should say, except hardstandings and your paragraph above "where we still use a Glyphosate products". The official council website is misleading and isn't truly transparent , having had an issue with weed spraying back in February on private property, and then issues with hard standing overspray I have emailed Nicky Purse more than once, and even thanked her auto reply response from replying more than she does. For people who just land on the council website they may feel that the council is 100% free of weed killer, it's not unless they specifically find this article or sift through political slinging that they find the truth about the misleading caveat. The truth is that HTS subcontractors for hardstanding spraying are still using a Potassium Salt of Glyphosate 30-60% 450g/L product manufactured by Barclay called Trusted Amenity. There are also particular sections about importance of overspray (this is where the spray extends past the path and catches the verge or other areas not intended for) we've all seen the 1 foot of overspray around the pavements, this is caused by poor operator setting and or generally not caring. I brought this matter to the attention of HTS who seemed oblivious what their subcontractors are up to, the matter eventually reached a stage 2 compliant but had to reach a stage 1 before HTS even were aware the issue was caused by their weed spraying contractor, and even then they were not holding full responsibility, despite the glaring bright yellow grass. It was even implied by a HTS manager that the Glyphosate weed killer only affected weeds and grass, but nothing else, therefore the new planted root ball bushes yet to establish a root system was fluke that they were dead or suffering severe stunted growth. The Data sheet has a really nice section headed "does the product require any precautions for public/ animal access to treated areas - Yes. Keep livestock out of areas until any treated noxious weeds have been removed or become unpalatable. " So next time you take your dog out, or let toddlers play on the pavement do check to make sure the noxious weeds have been removed and do avoid your dog sniffing or licking Another extract in the control measures part of the COSHH assessment "Spray busy shopping areas, schools and any other areas with high pedestrian activity at a time when members of the public are not in danger (early morning/evening)." I witnessed hard standing spraying at 8:40 on 27th May I live within a 3 minute walk of a parade of shops and a primary school, the quad bike had come from that direction. Again an aforementioned person was included in email, alas ignored, when I was confused as I had read on the council website "do not use harmful weed control solutions." The cynical side of me wonders if I was a media outlet with much exposure would certain members of the local governing authority be more interested?
Chris
2025-06-16 13:34:40
Just found the Your Harlow article from a few months back which covered the initial triumph ground breaking announcement. Commenting on the changes, Councillor Nicky Purse, cabinet portfolio holder for sustainability and environment, said: “We will also be stopping the use of harmful weed control solutions and instead strimming weeds and self-seeded areas and introducing inspections of completed work to ensure that the work being carried out meets our new standards." https://www.yourharlow.com/2025/03/04/harlow-council-introduces-transformed-grass-cutting-service-standards-as-grass-cutting-season-gets-underway/ There is some debate here on the full accuracy of the statement... and for what reason? unknowing of 3rd party treatment, hiding the fact of still using nasty chemicals, not knowing what is happening? Delete as appropriate and engage with the public, please.
Guy Flegman
2025-06-16 13:51:46
If they are using mechanical means why is it many of our footpaths are overgrown with weeds. If you use mechanical means you need to trim at least every 2 weeks in the summer and I do not see that happening. Just this morning I had to detour around the brambles and weeds on a cycle track that had been cut back 3 weeks ago and have grown back already. If the council can afford millions buying property then they sure as hell can afford to keep the public spaces tidy which is surely a bigger priority.
Kim
2025-06-16 19:00:02
Nicky purse few years back now, my Retriever dog, was one in 14 dogs, around Harlow, that went down on this poisonous toxins. Few made it, a few did not. How do I know, because my dog died from this, she was only 2. I kept phoning vets, to see if there was any more . Believe me, it's the worse way for any dog to go... I put this in our local paper warning people to be careful. This was not in one place where theses dogs were harmed, it was in different places.. Nicky purse, jen has campaigned for this a very long time. It's your job to finish this and make our animals safe. We will never know or hear, how many since have gone down with this,, but vets told us toxins were found in her system. Please Nicky put a stop to this, there is other alternatives to use. . We know this.
Jennifer Steadman
2025-06-16 20:47:19
@Ronnie, as a local Green party candidate I would welcome your input as to how a local candidate could tackle the NHS, national housing crisis, taxes and homelessness. However, on a local level, I am currently supporting a previously homeless person. I campaigned to get them off of the streets, into a hotel & now into their own flat. I'm now supporting them with employment applications and a mode of transport so they can attend interviews. I have supported & will continue to support Melanie Hopwood with theTommy Jones and split second knife crime campaign. I have also been supporting an elderly gentleman with his own housing issues. Im telling you these points not to blow my own trumpet, but to highlight, they are local issues that I can work on and can make a difference by giving them my attention. Also if you had attended last weeks meeting you would have heard me submit questions to Dan Swords on two local council housing development plot issues. The use of weedkillers is an extremely concerning topic as it is harmful to humans & to the wildlife and while the health and well being of Harlow residents and our wildlife may not be of significance to you, it is concerning to me. Glyphosate weedkillers are a known, well documented carcinogenic that has recently been linked to parkinsons disease. I find this particularly alarming especially as I now find that the statement on the Harlow Council website is disappointingly misleading. Chemical weedkillers are still being used in Harlow on the pavements and kerb edges where our pets, our children and our wildlife walk. I can tell you feel extremely passionate about the issues you have mentioned so have you ever considered standing as a political candidate yourself, perhaps stand for Harlows MP and then you can press the government on the national topics that concern you?
David Forman
2025-06-17 07:57:04
Last year in early spring I was maintaining a garden in Churchfields up near the green. While I was sorting out the fig bush near the front door I heard the Kubota quad bike roar past on the pavement. I noticed a cloud of vapour rising up and as I returned to the pavement could the cotoneaster bush had received a liberal dose of weed killer. If I had not immediately trimmed back the bush it would have died. I wonder how many times this happened over the years. Bearing in mind the householder had lived there many years and died of cancer it makes me wonder if there is a link. Many of you will know Sue Jones of Harlow Welfare Rights. It was her garden.
Kim Oconnor
2025-06-17 08:17:28
NICKY PURSE, DO NOT IGNORE THIS, WE DONT HAVE A LOCAL PAPER AS SUCH, SO PEOPLE ARE NOT HEARING OF THESES MATTERS. THERE ARE OVER ALTERNATIVES, DO NOT USE THESES TOXINS, BECAUSE ITS CHEAPER FOR YOU TO DO SO. ITS KILLING WILD LIFE, OUR PETS, AND BAD FOR US. WAKE UP WAKE UP WAKE UP. IF YOU CARE AT ALL.
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