Weed clearance Council looking at swapping chemicals for criminals

CONVICTS will be made to remove weeds across Bristol by hand as part of a switch away from a carcinogenic herbicide.

- Alex SEABROOK

Glyphosate is a common weedkiller used by Bristol City Council, but concerns have been raised about possible links between the use of pesticides and some cancers as well as harm to bees.

Spraying glyphosate on pavements across the city would cost the council £150,000 a year, whereas employing a team of staff to pull up weeds by hand would cost almost £1 million.

So instead, the council will carry out a trial with criminals on community payback schemes to help with weeding.

This is one part of the wider weed management policy. Other measures include residents of certain neighbourhoods agreeing to opt out from their street getting sprayed. And where weeds are still sprayed with glyphosate, this will be the “minimum effective dose and frequency”.