DWP update on 'toxic' weedkiller found in UK school playgrounds

DWP update on 'toxic' weedkiller found in UK school playgrounds Andy Burnham's government has this week given an update on the substance, which is widely used in the UK A DWP minister has given an update on a weedkiller used in UK school playgrounds and public spaces that critics say is 'toxic'. Glyphosate is currently approved in Great Britain but its continued use is under review, with a decision due this year. There is a fierce debate about its safety - with many backers saying it is safe for humans. But there are also many critics of the product. In January, the Pesticide Action Network (PAN UK) swabbed children’s play equipment in 13 playgrounds in Kent, Cambridgeshire, Milton Keynes, Tower Hamlets and Hackney, as well as testing soil and plant material. PAN UK said it found residues of glyphosate and its toxic breakdown product AMPA in 8 of the playgrounds. They said "the contamination detected is likely to originate from the widespread use of glyphosate by UK councils to remove unwanted plants in public spaces" - especially, they said, because none of the playgrounds were near agricultural land. The World Health Organisation has also listed glyphosate as a probable human carcinogen since 2015. Many councils are still using glyphosate-based herbicides in public green spaces - although firms supporting its use say it is safe when used correctly. In addition, in June, the Soil Association warned its use as a drying agent by farmers leaves residues in foods such as breakfast cereals, bread and beer. However, many farmers say it is essential. The National Farmers Union, for example, told the BBC this summer it is vital "to make harvesting easier, to control weeds, and reduce disease, and help produce sustainable and affordable food for all". The government is expected to make a decision on whether or not to approve renewal of glyphosate by the end of this year. Now the matter has been raised in Parliament after the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) was asked when the Health and Safety Executive plans to begin its consultation on the renewal of glyphosate approval - and whether that consultation will consider its use in home gardens, schools and playgrounds. On Monday, October 5, Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities) - responded to say: "The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is currently undertaking a renewal assessment of the pesticide active substance glyphosate to determine whether it continues to meet the strict approval criteria for use in pesticide products in Great Britain. "As part of this, HSE is planning to launch a 60-day public consultation on its draft scientific assessment of glyphosate in due course. The uses that HSE is considering as part of this renewal assessment include the use of products containing glyphosate by professionals only in home gardens, schools and playgrounds. Other uses not assessed under the renewal assessment would be determined under individual product renewal assessments at a future date." What is the HSE doing over glyphosate? The Health and Safety Executive says it is currently reassessing glyphosate. Officials there are aiming to determine whether it continues to meet strict approval criteria. The decision is part of a wider government shift from the current pesticides regulatory system in Great Britain to a new one defined by the UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement under negotiation. The UK decision on renewal is expected by the end of 2026 aftter the public consultation referred to in the new parliamentary discussion. Speaking to the Guardian earlier this year, Professor Michael Antoniou, a specialist in molecular genetics and toxicology at King’s College London, said: “Our studies have shown that exposure to glyphosate herbicides is a significant risk factor for the development of a range of serious health conditions including fatty liver and kidney disease and, most worryingly, a wide range of cancers including leukaemias. “The assertion by government regulators that glyphosate is safe does not stand up to latest scientific scrutiny, which shows that a safe dose of glyphosate is, at present, unknown. Thus, all efforts should be made to reduce glyphosate herbicide use in both agricultural and urban settings, and to eliminate unnecessary routes of exposure, especially for children.” Nick Mole, Policy Officer, PAN UK, said when the organisation's study was issued: “It is deeply concerning to find a Highly Hazardous Pesticide like glyphosate present in the very places where our children play. UK glyphosate use has skyrocketed in recent years, as has the evidence linking this chemical to serious health conditions. We all know that young children tend to put their fingers and other items in their mouths so finding glyphosate residues in playgrounds, including on play equipment such as swings and slides, is particularly worrying.” What do supporters of glyphosate say? Firms that use glyphosate dispute the claims of critics strongly. They say the medical consensus backs their side. They say the substance is not carcinogenic to humans when it is used as directed. In addition, they say the substance is very important in a number of ways. They say glyphosate supports environmental benefits by allowing for reduced tillage systems. They say this protect soil and microorganisms, cutting greenhouse gas emissions and fuel use. The Glyphosate Renewal Group (GRG), a collection of companies that seeks the renewal of its use, says on its website: "Glyphosate is one of the most widely used active ingredients in herbicides designed to prevent unwanted weed growth in cultivated crops. Leading health authorities in the United States, Europe, for example Germany, Australia, Korea, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, and elsewhere around the world continue to conclude that glyphosate-based products are safe when used in accordance with the label instructions. "Glyphosate-based herbicides have been used safely and successfully for more than 40 years and are among the most thoroughly studied products of their kind." Its website says the vast bulk of evidence backs their claims on the safety of the product. It notes: "Among the four World Health Organization (WHO) agencies that have evaluated the safety of glyphosate, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) is the only entity to find an association between glyphosate and carcinogenicity. In 2015, IARC classified glyphosate as 'probably carcinogenic to humans' and included it in the same category as everyday products like red meat and hot beverages. "However, the WHO’s International Programme on Chemical Safety and Joint FAO/WHO Meeting on Pesticide Residues (JMPR) found that glyphosate is not carcinogenic, and its Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality found that glyphosate does not present a hazard to human health." It adds: "In the EU, on June 15 2022, the designated European Member States for the current glyphosate renewal process – known as the Assessment Group on Glyphosate (AGG), published the main conclusions of their draft Renewal Assessment Report (dRAR) for glyphosate. Based on its assessment, the AGG proposed that a classification of glyphosate with regard to carcinogenicity is not justified. More than five years after reaching its opinion, IARC remains an outlier, as leading pesticide regulators around the world continue to conclude that glyphosate is not carcinogenic and that glyphosate-based herbicides are safe when used in accordance with the label instructions." Questions in Parliament on glyphosate The government has answered several questions this year on glyphosate in Parliament. Earlier this year, the product's use in Lebanon by the Israeli military was raised. In the House of Lords, Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer) asked the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office in February "what assessment they have made of reports that Israel sprayed glyphosate over areas of south Lebanon; what assessment they have made of the impact of spraying glyphosate on environmental and human health; and whether they have discussed that matter with the government of Israel." Baroness Chapman of Darlington responded to say: "The UK is concerned by reports that Israel sprayed herbicide over Lebanese territory in early February and that the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon operations were impacted by this operation. The UK urges all parties to adhere to the Cessation of Hostilities agreement in place since 2024 and in particular to avoid any threat to civilians or the UN Mission." Another response in June said: "Defra [the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs] recognises there is significant interest in the continued access to glyphosate for farmers and growers." In June, Sir Stephen also said: "The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is currently undertaking a renewal assessment of the pesticide active substance glyphosate to determine whether it continues to meet the strict approval criteria for use in pesticide products in Great Britain. This renewal assessment includes a thorough and robust scientific assessment of the risks the use of glyphosate poses to the environment, including its impact on pollinators, and risks to both human and animal health. "To meet regulatory requirements, the assessment will be informed by all relevant evidence including, but not limited to, newly published literature; newly accepted regulatory guidelines and standards; newly generated studies or regulatory models; and regulatory assessments and decisions taken in other jurisdictions since the last assessment."