Over 70 Cornwall doctors add their voices to dissent over weedkiller plans
It comes after Cornwall Council’s decision to reintroduce a controversial chemical weedkiller for use on the county’s roads and kerbs
More than 200 healthcare workers, including over 70 doctors, have added their names to growing dissent over Cornwall Council’s decision to reintroduce a controversial chemical weedkiller for use on the county’s roads and kerbs.
More than 13,000 people have signed petitions against the U-turn, while a number of groups and organisations have written to the council asking for it to reconsider the move, including town and parish councils, Cornwall Wildlife Trust and Cornwall Climate Action Network.
Cornwall MPs, including Lib Dems Andrew George and Ben Maguire, and Labour’s Noah Law, have also raised concerns with the council.
As well as health and environmental fears, there is growing anger that town and parish councils have not been given sufficient time to respond to an offer to opt out if they wish to maintain their areas without using the chemical treatment.
They received letters from the unitary authority at the end of March and were told to respond by today (Monday, April 20).
A public protest will take place outside Lys Kernow / County Hall in Truro before a full Cornwall Council meeting tomorrow morning (Tuesday, April 21).
The council’s Liberal Democrat / Independent cabinet will be asked an unprecedented 38 questions on the matter by concerned members of the public at the start of the meeting. Councillors will also discuss a motion brought by cross-party members asking the cabinet to rethink its decision.
The council’s cabinet has instructed Cornwall Highways & Environment Services to begin a new programme of weed treatment and public realm improvements across Cornwall. The default position is that all Cornwall Council-maintained areas are opted in, with the use of a diluted glyphosate mix on all adopted highway within urban areas.
Town and parish councils were told: “This decision follows evidence of declining standards since routine weed management stopped in 2013, resulting in increasing complaints, narrowing footways, damaged surfaces and perceived reduced community pride.”
Cllr Leigh Frost, the Lib Dem leader of Cornwall Council, was handed a letter by Dr Robert Cook, a GP based at Bodriggey Health Centre, Hayle, and Paula Bright, physiotherapist and owner of Brightside Physio in Perranporth this morning (Monday, April 20).
It has been signed by more than 200 healthcare professionals and allied services based in Cornwall, including over 70 doctors currently working across the Duchy.
The letter states: “We write to express our collective concern regarding the planned reintroduction of glyphosate for weed control on urban highways.
“As advocates for the health and well-being of our residents, we urge you to reconsider this decision considering growing scientific evidence highlighting the health risks associated with glyphosate and the adjuvants combined with it.
“The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organization (WHO), classified glyphosate as ‘probably carcinogenic to humans’ (Group 2A) in 2015. This classification was based on sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in animals and limited evidence in humans, particularly concerning non-Hodgkin lymphoma (IARC, 2015).
“Studies have shown an association between glyphosate exposure and various health issues, including but not limited to carcinogenicity, liver disease, birth defects and neurological effects.”
The letter adds: “We are especially concerned as the planned application of weedkiller is on the urban highway network, including close to schools and healthcare settings.
“In addition, as it will be applied to plants on hard surfaces including close to drains and waterways, despite the use of Controlled Droplet Application, there will inevitably be run-off into drains, rivers and the sea, bypassing any breakdown by soil micro-organisms and risking contaminating bathing waters.
“Given the substantial scientific evidence regarding the health risks associated with glyphosate, we implore Cornwall Council to prioritise the safety of our community by refraining from its use on urban highways. The health of our residents and the integrity of our environment must be at the forefront of our decision-making processes.”
The letter handover was filmed by a representative of the health professionals. In the video, Cllr Frost says he agrees that there should be a review into what the safe level of glyphosate is, adding: “But I do think there are nuances in the argument.”
In a statement issued last week, Cornwall Council said: “We understand concerns about weed treatment plans.
“Weeds can damage surfaces, block drains and make footways harder to use, so targeted treatment is needed to keep areas safe and accessible.
“A diluted solution will be applied directly to kerbs and roads using targeted droplets rather than spray. It will not be used on verges or green spaces.”
Cornwall Council stopped using glyphosate and neonicotinoids over ten years ago on all public-access land it owns/manages, except for controlling invasive plants or preventing asset risk.
The council has stressed that it is not a return to blanket weed spraying, but it will use a diluted glyphosate mix, which is “widely used and Health and Safety Executive (HSE)-approved for safe use on public highways and in amenity areas”. It says it will only treat within urban limits and only on roads which have weeds present.
A Change.org petition, launched by the Cornwall Green Party, calling on Cornwall Council to reconsider its plan has currently received more than 8,100 signatures, while another petition started by Redruth Town Council has gained over 5,500 signatures.