THE LEADER of the Harlow Green Party has continued to put pressure on Harlow Council over use of pesticides.

Jennifer Steadman asked a number of questions at a recent Harlow Council Cabinet meeting.

Jennifer Steadman to Councillor Nicky Purse (Portfolio Holder for Environment):

Back in June 2025 I brought the pesticides topic back to Council for the second time after Harlow Council published on their website- quote ‘HTS strim weeds to stop unsightly growth, they do not use harmful weed control solutions’.

However, when I thanked you for ceasing the use of Glyphosate, you advised that ‘Glyphosate was indeed still being used on pavements edges and kerbs.

Obviously, being winter, weed growth is naturally slower, but can you please tell me whether glyphosate has now actually stopped being used as a treatment for weeds and ivy roots in Harlow?

Reply from Councillor Nicky Purse (Portfolio Holder for Environment):

Thank you, Ms Steadman, for the question — and for continuing to keep this issue on the agenda.

It is an important topic, and I do welcome the scrutiny because it helps ensure we remain transparent and keep moving in the right direction.

You are correct that we ceased the use of glyphosate within our green infrastructure, such as parks, verges, planted areas and other green spaces, as part of our commitment to protecting biodiversity, pollinators, and soil health.

However, to answer your question directly: glyphosate has not yet fully stopped being used across Harlow, because there remains limited use on hard surfaces such as pavement edges, kerbs, and other areas of hard landscaping, where weed growth can create operational and safety issues.

Where glyphosate is still used, it is a licensed and regulated product, applied under controlled conditions by trained operatives and in accordance with the relevant safety requirements.

That said, I want to be clear about the direction of travel: I do not personally support continued reliance on chemical weed control, and I have continued to push for us to move further towards non-chemical alternatives, where those options can be delivered safely, practically and affordably, without transferring
risk elsewhere.

Finally, I do accept the point regarding wording on the Council website. If the current wording is misleading or could be interpreted as suggesting we do not use any chemical weed control at all, then I will ask officers to review and update it so that it is accurate and transparent, reflecting the position that we have removed pesticide use from our green infrastructure, and are continuing to
reduce remaining use on hard surfaces.

So again, thank you for raising this. On a personal level, I would like us to move towards stopping the use of chemicals entirely, especially where there are recognised public concerns and potential links to long-term health impacts, and I will continue to push for that progress.