EDM 607: Pesticides in public spaces

That this House notes that many local authorities and other public authorities use pesticides to manage unwanted vegetation in public places such as parks and green spaces, streets, school grounds, churchyards, train stations and car parks; is concerned that the most commonly used pesticide in urban areas is glyphosate, which has been designated as a probable carcinogen by the World Health Organisation since 2015; is further concerned that the overuse of pesticides in urban areas is destroying areas that wildlife, including birds, insects, bees and hedgehogs, rely on for food and shelter, and that pesticides also run off hard surfaces such as pavements, contaminating water courses and damaging aquatic life; commends the more than 100 local authorities across the UK that have either ended or significantly reduced their use of pesticides; calls on the Government to provide the necessary funding and support to encourage more local authorities to follow suit; and urges the Government to support the Plant Protection Products (Prohibition on Public Sector Use) Bill that would introduce a national phase-out of pesticide use in public spaces by local authorities and other public authorities for amenity purposes.