The council has officially committed to end the use of glyphosate across our borough. My hands are shaking as I type this because it was such a long fight for our local wildlife. We won this together and now we have to keep our eyes open to ensure they follow …
January 2, 2021
Final supporters
For an update of this petition and what happened see below:
During lockdown, we have seen wildlife recover and spring into action to choruses of delight across the borough, as nature is rediscovered by children and adults alike. The ill-informed notion of tidy grass monoculture has been put out to pasture. Let's Save our wildlife.
We call on the Council to ban Glyphosate as a weed killer across all council-run or outsourced activities and assets.
This will enhance and re-emphasise the Council's own plan of action to become the Greenest Inner London Borough. We therefore urge you to lead and reclaim the wildlife for residents.
More information
World Health Organization stated in 2015 glyphosate is “probably carcinogenic to humans”. This was reinforced in 2019 with the US courts awarding $80m (£61m) in damages to a groundsman who terminal cancer. Further class action suits are in the US courts and it is difficult to see why they wouldn’t apply in the UK.
Exposure affects human reproduction and foetal development at far lower toxicities (0.3-0.06%) than thought and far lower than the 1-2% mix used in farming and weed control. This is acute for famers or council workers applying it, such as groundman or park services.
It kills the soil in its ability to use minerals, fight fungal attack and prevents nitrogen feeding the soil. It also encourages glyphosate resistant weeds which have been shown do more damage to the environment than leaving nature alone.
There is mounting evidence of its impact on pollinators and insect life and the EU has banned some pesticides and herbicides as a result.
In the UK already the herbicide has been banned in Aberdeen, Brighton, Bristol, Edinburgh, Frome, Glastonbury, Shaftsbury, Hammersmith & Fulham and being piloted in Croydon.
Protect Children. Protect Adults. Protect Wildlife. Protect Wandsworth Ecology. Save Money. Become the Greenest Inner London Council.
Between starting this petition Bayer announced it was paying $10.9 BN in compensation 'to end uncertainty'
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-53174513
The petition was handed into Wandsworth Council and the officers have responded. Despite the certainty implicit of the huge payout, Wandsworth Council has rejected banning it.
Their reasoning is here.
https://democracy.wandsworth.gov.uk/documents/g662...
Response from petitioners here:
https://medium.com/@glynkgoodwin/wandsworth-trump-...
Further representations will be made at the council meeting above.
We are deeply saddened by the council response to not join the growing band of councils who have banned it.
In the Climate and Ecological Emergency declared by the council this seems like a step sadly not taken.
Updates
Reached 1,000 supporters
October 9, 2020
June 18, 2020
The emails I receive from the council remain cold and dismissive despite the clear health risks involved in using these chemicals. It is exhausting to keep pushing against a wall of bureaucracy but the damage to our soil and our health is too great for me to walk away now.
June 11, 2020
One hundred people have joined this push to clear the poisons from our parks. It is exhausting work to keep fighting for something so obvious but seeing this name count grow gives me a reason to keep typing emails to the council.
Reached 100 supporters
June 8, 2020
473 Comments
Please think about the damage glyphosate does to the environment. We are trying to beautify Balham with tree pit planting but they have already been sprayed with glyphosate damaging wildlife and destroying biodiversity.
Have been gardening organically for 37 years! Detest such chemicals. Read the news about glyphosate residues in peoples bodies. As Dave Goulson writes in “The Garden Jungle” people are peeing weed killer. Yes glyphosate residues are in people’s pee!
I used to work in pesticides testing in food products (LGC Teddington) and this was a pesticide that we used to find ALL the time, especially in things like crackers, sliced bread and wheat products in general. It is bad for your health and bad for insects. Please ban it!
I was shocked that the Council would even consider using Round Up. I live just next to Battersea Park and am having cancer treatment at the Royal Marsden. Even if there is the smallest chance Round up caould be carcenegenic it should not be used in public parks.
This has been going on for some years. About three years ago one the people involved in spraying weed killer on the Common warned me not to walk on the grass. I'm shocked that it's still going on. Is this down to cost? Weed Killer is cheaper to employ?
Stop using pesticides in Wandsworth
Pls ban use of pesticides in Wandsworth
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The council has officially committed to end the use of glyphosate across our borough. My hands are shaking as I type this because it was such a long fight for our local wildlife. We won this together and now we have to keep our eyes open to ensure they follow …
January 2, 2021
Final supporters
For an update of this petition and what happened see below:
During lockdown, we have seen wildlife recover and spring into action to choruses of delight across the borough, as nature is rediscovered by children and adults alike. The ill-informed notion of tidy grass monoculture has been put out to pasture. Let's Save our wildlife.
We call on the Council to ban Glyphosate as a weed killer across all council-run or outsourced activities and assets.
This will enhance and re-emphasise the Council's own plan of action to become the Greenest Inner London Borough. We therefore urge you to lead and reclaim the wildlife for residents.
More information
World Health Organization stated in 2015 glyphosate is “probably carcinogenic to humans”. This was reinforced in 2019 with the US courts awarding $80m (£61m) in damages to a groundsman who terminal cancer. Further class action suits are in the US courts and it is difficult to see why they wouldn’t apply in the UK.
Exposure affects human reproduction and foetal development at far lower toxicities (0.3-0.06%) than thought and far lower than the 1-2% mix used in farming and weed control. This is acute for famers or council workers applying it, such as groundman or park services.
It kills the soil in its ability to use minerals, fight fungal attack and prevents nitrogen feeding the soil. It also encourages glyphosate resistant weeds which have been shown do more damage to the environment than leaving nature alone.
There is mounting evidence of its impact on pollinators and insect life and the EU has banned some pesticides and herbicides as a result.
In the UK already the herbicide has been banned in Aberdeen, Brighton, Bristol, Edinburgh, Frome, Glastonbury, Shaftsbury, Hammersmith & Fulham and being piloted in Croydon.
Protect Children. Protect Adults. Protect Wildlife. Protect Wandsworth Ecology. Save Money. Become the Greenest Inner London Council.
Between starting this petition Bayer announced it was paying $10.9 BN in compensation 'to end uncertainty'
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-53174513
The petition was handed into Wandsworth Council and the officers have responded. Despite the certainty implicit of the huge payout, Wandsworth Council has rejected banning it.
Their reasoning is here.
https://democracy.wandsworth.gov.uk/documents/g662...
Response from petitioners here:
https://medium.com/@glynkgoodwin/wandsworth-trump-...
Further representations will be made at the council meeting above.
We are deeply saddened by the council response to not join the growing band of councils who have banned it.
In the Climate and Ecological Emergency declared by the council this seems like a step sadly not taken.
Updates
Reached 1,000 supporters
October 9, 2020
June 18, 2020
The emails I receive from the council remain cold and dismissive despite the clear health risks involved in using these chemicals. It is exhausting to keep pushing against a wall of bureaucracy but the damage to our soil and our health is too great for me to walk away now.
June 11, 2020
One hundred people have joined this push to clear the poisons from our parks. It is exhausting work to keep fighting for something so obvious but seeing this name count grow gives me a reason to keep typing emails to the council.
Reached 100 supporters
June 8, 2020
473 Comments
Considering our record of protecting the biodiversity in this country it amazes and disgusts me that Wandsworth is still using a toxic pesticide known to be extremely harmful to insects and the wider environment. Lambeth stopped using on streets a while back I believe.
Please think about the damage glyphosate does to the environment. We are trying to beautify Balham with tree pit planting but they have already been sprayed with glyphosate damaging wildlife and destroying biodiversity.
Have been gardening organically for 37 years! Detest such chemicals. Read the news about glyphosate residues in peoples bodies. As Dave Goulson writes in “The Garden Jungle” people are peeing weed killer. Yes glyphosate residues are in people’s pee!
I used to work in pesticides testing in food products (LGC Teddington) and this was a pesticide that we used to find ALL the time, especially in things like crackers, sliced bread and wheat products in general. It is bad for your health and bad for insects. Please ban it!
I was shocked that the Council would even consider using Round Up. I live just next to Battersea Park and am having cancer treatment at the Royal Marsden. Even if there is the smallest chance Round up caould be carcenegenic it should not be used in public parks.
This has been going on for some years. About three years ago one the people involved in spraying weed killer on the Common warned me not to walk on the grass. I'm shocked that it's still going on. Is this down to cost? Weed Killer is cheaper to employ?
Stop using pesticides in Wandsworth
Pls ban use of pesticides in Wandsworth
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Considering our record of protecting the biodiversity in this country it amazes and disgusts me that Wandsworth is still using a toxic pesticide known to be extremely harmful to insects and the wider environment. Lambeth stopped using on streets a while back I believe.