Routine weed spraying of the highways in Exeter is set to end in the city

Routine weed spraying of the highways in Exeter is set to end in the city - Exeter City Council

Exeter is to stop spraying glyphosate as a weed killer on the city’s highways.

Devon County Council currently contracts Exeter City Council to carry out two weed killer sprays a year.

Routine weed spraying of the highways is set to end. Image: Exeter City Council

But that contract is coming to an end and glyphosate will only be used when absolutely necessary, for example when dealing with highly invasive and damaging weeds.

Concerns about the potential effects of glyphosate on health and the environment have previously been raised by the City and County Council.

Following a public engagement and budget consultation programme carried out in 2015/16, the County Council moved from a cyclical programme of weed treatment using glyphosate to alternative means of supressing weeds on its highways and land across Devon.

In 2019 a motion calling for a trial of alternative methods of weed suppression and management was unanimously backed by city councillors.

The motion said that there was “increasing evidence of the dangers to both human health and biodiversity of continuing use of glyphosate weed killer.”

It concluded: “This council has a duty of care to its citizens and staff and the use of glyphosate has a detrimental effect on biodiversity and the environment in general.”

Cllr Duncan Wood, Lead Councillor for Climate Change, said: “We have been concerned about the use of glyphosate for some time and the city council has previously pledged to reduce usage. Protecting biodiversity is extremely important in Exeter. We work very hard to protect the environment and support biodiversity in our parkland and Valley Parks. Indeed, we are currently working with Devon Wildlife Trust to create a whole new wildlife haven in Northbrook Park. Clearly it is essential that we deliver on our promise to dramatically reduce the use of glysophate across the city and resulting threat to the environment. There is a growing understanding that all wild flowers contribute to biodiversity and help pollinating insects, and that simply spraying a herbicide over large parts of the city is no longer acceptable.”