Use of pesticides by council
Dear Information Officer,
This is a request under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004. I would like to request the following information:
Do you manage your open spaces yourself or are they are outsourced?
If they are outsourced, what is the name of the company/companies that manage them?
What is your policy for weed control in the open spaces - parks, sports fields, grass verges etc?
Do you use herbicides containing glyphosate eg Roundup, Weedol etc
If yes, what do you use
What areas have been sprayed with herbicides containing glyphosate?
What is your policy on the use of glyphosate?
What precautions were taken ahead of its use?
For the calendar years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, please can you tell me:
The volume of these herbicides you have you used
The cost
I would like to receive the information electronically - preferably in an Excel format. If you feel that a substantive response to this request is not possible within a reasonable time frame, or the request is too broad or too vague, I would be grateful if you could contact me and provide assistance as to how I could refine the request.
Many thanks.
Juliet Ferguson
Dear Ms Ferguson
Further to your contact with Derry City & Strabane District Council please
find attached letter in relation to same. Should you have any queries
please do not hesitate to contact me.
Regards
Michelle
From: Juliet Ferguson [mailto:[FOI #875039 email]]
Sent: 01 July 2022 16:37
To: foi <[Derry City and Strabane District Council request email]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Use of pesticides by council
Dear Information Officer,
This is a request under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004. I
would like to request the following information:
Do you manage your open spaces yourself or are they are outsourced?
If they are outsourced, what is the name of the company/companies that
manage them?
What is your policy for weed control in the open spaces - parks, sports
fields, grass verges etc?
Do you use herbicides containing glyphosate eg Roundup, Weedol etc
If yes, what do you use
What areas have been sprayed with herbicides containing glyphosate?
What is your policy on the use of glyphosate?
What precautions were taken ahead of its use?
For the calendar years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, please can you
tell me:
The volume of these herbicides you have you used
The cost
I would like to receive the information electronically - preferably in an
Excel format. If you feel that a substantive response to this request is
not possible within a reasonable time frame, or the request is too broad
or too vague, I would be grateful if you could contact me and provide
assistance as to how I could refine the request.
Many thanks.
Juliet Ferguson
-------------------------------------------------------------------
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Dear Juliet,
Please see answers to your queries below and I have attached a copy of the
Council’s Invasive species strategy which gives you information and
identifies the areas treated.
Kind Regards,
John Quinn
Streetscape Manager
07739916436
From: Juliet Ferguson
[[1]mailto:[FOI #875039 email]]
Sent: 01 July 2022 16:37
To: foi <[2][Derry City and Strabane District Council request email]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Use of pesticides by council
Dear Information Officer,
This is a request under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004. I
would like to request the following information:
Do you manage your open spaces yourself or are they are outsourced?
If they are outsourced, what is the name of the company/companies that
manage them?
What is your policy for weed control in the open spaces - parks, sports
fields, grass verges etc? Derry City and Strabane District Council uses
selective herbicides for the control of weeds in sports areas, such as
bowling greens and football pitches, where it is important to keep a safe
uniformed and level playing surface.
Do you use herbicides containing glyphosate eg Roundup, Weedol etc yes
If yes, what do you use Roundup
What areas have been sprayed with herbicides containing glyphosate? See
attached for list of areas with Invasive Alien Species issues(IAS). We
also spray areas such as roundabouts where there is a consideration for
Health and Safety to staff.
What is your policy on the use of glyphosate? – As above, we only use
glyphosate based products to tackle IAS and where it is deemed safer to
spray twice per annum than for staff to cross live carriageways weekly. We
also use it on some artificial surfaces to keep a safe uniformed and level
playing surface.
What precautions were taken ahead of its use? - Council as part of its
proactive Health and Safety system has addressed these issues through
providing appropriate PA1, PA2 and PA6 training and PPE to all and any
staff using herbicides As with all of our operations staff are trained in
the safe use of Chemicals COSH. The out workings of the measures stated
above is that the herbicide is applied by trained operatives adhering
strictly to EU and manufacturers guidelines to minimise risk, in small
doses only where and when required – i.e. it is not blanket sprayed We
also have risk assessments in place to ensure our operations are carried
out in the safest possible manner
For the calendar years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, please can you
tell me:
The volume of these herbicides you have you used
The cost – please see attached
I would like to receive the information electronically - preferably in an
Excel format. If you feel that a substantive response to this request is
not possible within a reasonable time frame, or the request is too broad
or too vague, I would be grateful if you could contact me and provide
assistance as to how I could refine the request.
Many thanks.
Juliet Ferguson
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[3][FOI #875039 email]
Is [4][Derry City and Strabane District Council request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information
requests to Derry City and Strabane District Council? If so, please
contact us using this form:
[5]https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/change_re...
Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[6]https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/offi...
For more detailed guidance on safely disclosing information, read the
latest advice from the ICO:
[7]https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/ico-...
[8]https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/ico-...
Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will
be delayed.
If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.
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