Use of pesticides Portsmouth

Information Governance, Corporate Services
Civic Offices, Guildhall Square, Portsmouth, PO1 2AL
Telephone:    023 9268 8482
                                               

                                                                       
 
Reference: FOI2020/680
 
Dear Jan Probert and Beatriz Rodrigo-Gran
 
 
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 - INFORMATION REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
 
Thank you for your request for information received on 14th June 2020.
 
Your request is being considered and, subject to the points made below,
you will receive the information requested as promptly as possible within
the statutory timescale of 20 working days as defined by the Freedom of
Information Act 2000.
 
If we need to obtain more information from you in order to understand what
information you require, we will contact you. If this is the case, the 20
days time limit will not commence until your request has been clarified.
 
The Act defines a number of exemptions that may prevent release of certain
information.  The City Council will consider whether any of these
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public interest to release the information.  If we have to make a public
interest test, the 20 day time limit might be extended. We will inform you
if the time scale has to be extended and if any information is withheld
and of your rights of appeal.
 
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If you have any queries or concerns then please contact the Corporate
Information Governance Officer at Portsmouth City Council, Civic Offices,
Guildhall Square, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO1 2AL, telephone 023 9268 8482,
e-mail [1][email address].
 
Yours sincerely
 
 
 
                                                                                               
           
Wendy Burton
FOI Officer
 
 
 

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Information Governance, Corporate Services
Civic Offices, Guildhall Square, Portsmouth, PO1 2AL
Telephone:    023 9268 8482
 
 
Our Ref: FOI2020/680
 
Dear Jan Probert and Beatriz Rodrigo-Gran,
                                   
INFORMATION REQUEST – FOI2020/680 -  Use of pesticides Portsmouth
 
Thank you for your request for information received on 14th June 2020,
which was considered under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. 
 
In accordance with the Act, Portsmouth City Council confirms it holds the
requested information.
 
YOUR REQUEST AND OUR RESPONSE
 
We are writing to make an open request for all the information to which we
are entitled under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
 
1. Please detail what pesticides are being used in Portsmouth by the
council or your contractor;
ADAMA APHOX insecticide. Used on one occasion (July 2019) to control a bad
infestation of aphids on roses.
BELCHIM CHIKARA pre-emergent and early post-emergent herbicide. Used in
spring as a residual pre-emergent and post emergent herbicide to provide
weed free areas for up to 3-5 months. Used in cemeteries around headstones
and hard grave tops and other selected areas.
VITAX COPPER MIXTURE correct copper deficiency in roses. No set schedule
of use. Applied to roses if rust or black spot develops in summer months.
RIGBY TAYLOR FOREMOST systemic fungicide. Used as a fine turf fungicide to
effected areas of disease on turf. Applied upon signs of outbreak of
disease.
BARCLAY GALLOP HIAKTIV herbicide. Used for controlling annual and
perennial grass and broad leaved weeds on hard surfaces and shrub borders
and around obstacles in grass. Applied 2 to 3 times per year to selected
areas April to September.
MASCOT GREENOR selective herbicide. A selective, systemic, post emergence
turf herbicide. Controls broad-leaved weeds in amenity turf including
daisy, dandelion and knotgrass. Used in spring on fine turf areas.
 
MASCOT HIGH ACTIVE is used for hard surfaces and shrub beds three times a
year.
DOW ICADE herbicide. a selective herbicide for control of Docks, Nettles,
Thistles, Japanese Knotweed, Giant Hogweed, Marestail, Bramble and other
tough weeds in amenity grassland. This is used on target plant as and when
required.
RIGBY TAYLOR QUALGEX algae and moss killer. This is used to target moss
and algae on hard surface playing surfaces as and when required.
Round Up Pro Vantage is used approximately 3 times a year to manage growth
of weeds on Portsmouth City Council Housing sites.
2. In which public areas are they being used (please provide name of the
areas)
All hard areas and landscapes within the PFI network, parks and open
spaces, cemeteries, schools and communal areas of housing land across
Portsmouth.

3. How often and for what purpose. The information requested should be a
list of all the products including the brand supplier and starting date of
use.
As detailed in the response to question 1.

4. Has the council made any efforts in reducing the use of these
pesticides? If so please provide detail on these efforts including dates
and costing where possible.
 
Portsmouth City Council has made a number of efforts to reduce the use of
pesticides. Products are not used as a preventative measure but only
applied to target pest upon outbreak and effected area only. Additionally,
staff scrape weeds in manageable areas, plant up beds are used to reduce
spot spraying, and bark mulch and fabric weed suppressants are also used.
The Council also identifies areas to be replanted or seeded which improves
the environment and reduces the need to spray pesticides.
Portsmouth City Council does not hold any information in respect of
comparable costs.
5. How many complaints does the council get about weeds every year
Portsmouth City Council has received 22 complaints in the past 2 years,
this is an average of 11 complaints per year.
 
Under the Re- Use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2015 (SI
2015/1415) the supplied information may not be re-used without obtaining
the permission of Portsmouth City Council.
 
We trust that our response fulfils your request, however, you have the
right to appeal against this outcome or to complain about our treatment of
your request.  If you wish to do so, please set out in writing your
grounds of complaint and send to the Corporate Information Governance
Officer at Portsmouth City Council, Civic Offices, Guildhall Square,
Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO1 2AL, telephone 023 9268 8482, e-mail
[1][email address]. Should you be dissatisfied with the outcome of
the complaints decision you may wish to follow the Portsmouth City
Council’s Compliments and Complaints procedure which can be found on the
Portsmouth City Council website or by contacting the Civic Offices.
 
Once these processes have been exhausted you have a further right of
appeal to the Information Commissioner at:
 
Further information is also available from the Information Commissioner
at:
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Telephone: 0303 123 1113
[2]https://ico.org.uk
 
Yours sincerely
 
 
Sarah Gorvin
Information Governance Specialist
 
Portsmouth City Council
Civic Offices
Guildhall Square
Portsmouth
PO1 2BQ
 
T:  023 9268 8482
E:  [3][Portsmouth City Council request email]
[4]www.portsmouth.gov.uk
 
 
 
 
 

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