Pesticides purge welcomed across the city
By Phyllis Stephen
A petition to stop Edinburgh spraying glyphosate on our city's streets has inspired similar campaigns in Balerno and fledgling movements in Portobello.
Jessica Windsor began the Pesticide Free Edinburgh campaign, explaining her view that pesticide use has multiple harmful effects on human and animal health causing environmental pollution.
She said: "The notorious chemical glyphosate is used here in Edinburgh and has been linked to cancer in humans and animals. Direct contact with any pesticide can cause acute short term health problems such as respiratory tract irritation, allergic sensitisation, nausea/vomiting/diarrhoea, seizures, headache and loss of consciousness.
"Children are more at risk than adults due to their age and also their behaviour, for example, investigating nature, crawling and playing on grass and spending time in areas such as playgrounds and parks where pesticides are used. Dogs and cats are particularly vulnerable too due to their close proximity to the ground. Pesticides have also been shown to have a damaging effect on bee populations and other pollinators which are currently in steep decline and need all the help they can get."
Residents in Balerno petitioned the council earlier this year to stop using glyphosate in their area because of health risks.
The council confirmed that they would trial a 'Foamstream ' weed control system instead, although that has fallen foul of the Covid-19 pandemic. The parks department are concentrating on grass-cutting instead.
Annie Macdonald of Pesticide Free Balerno, with its 580 signatures, explained that they were delighted by the response. She said: "We were relieved that the council listened to the community's health concerns in Balerno, safeguarding those with vulnerable immune and respiratory health issues like asthma which is crucial now more than ever."
Now they have taken matters into their own hands with volunteer weeding groups removing the weeds manually or individually outside their own property or street. Annie explained there are benefits to what they do: "Our Volunteer Weeding group is sponsored by our local Scotmid and we have been removing weeds in the community this year to support the council moving to safe alternatives.
It's not just in the suburbs that weed control is an issue. City centre resident, Lorna, said: "I was horrified to see the council out spraying near Dublin Street. We were walking by with our two small children who were put at risk of breathing in the cancer causing pesticide chemicals, and I am disgusted that the council would allow this to happen.
"It is irresponsible, dangerous and against our human rights to have these chemicals sprayed around the city centre. I raised my concerns with the council and these have been completely ignored.
"Councils and cities all over the world are banning its use, due to concerns the chemical can lead to non-Hodgkins Lymphoma and other health issues, water and soil pollution, and can impact the health of important insects e.g. bees. The City of Edinburgh Council continues to be a dinosaur when it comes to environmental issues with minimal EV car charging points, few bike lanes, and clearing trees left right and centre, it is a disgrace.”
Cllr Lesley Macinnes, Transport and Environment Convener said: “In terms of controlling weeds generally, we take an integrated approach and have greatly reduced our use of glyphosatebased herbicides by using a variety of methods, such as deep cleansing streets, mulching, strimming and hoeing.
“We have also trialled a number of glyphosate-alternative herbicides, hot water and hot foam, and ultimately plan to move away from using glyphosate-based herbicides when an effective and financially viable alternative is found, however for the moment they remain the most effective treatment on roads, pavements and other hard surfaces.”