Campaigners have detected traces of glyphosate, a herbicide classified as a probable human carcinogen by the World Health Organization since 2015, in playgrounds across the UK. Tests conducted by the Pesticides Action Network (Pan) UK on 13 playgrounds in Kent, Cambridgeshire, Milton Keynes, Tower Hamlets and Hackney found glyphosate or its breakdown product at eight sites. The only area free of the chemical was Hackney, which banned glyphosate in public green spaces in 2021.
Nick Mole of Pan UK expressed concern over the presence of the pesticide where children play, noting that young children often put fingers and objects in their mouths. The chemical remains authorised for use in UK public spaces and is routinely applied by councils on parks, playing fields, cemeteries and pavements.
Professor Michael Antoniou of King's College London warned that exposure to glyphosate herbicides is a risk factor for serious health conditions, including fatty liver disease, kidney disease and various cancers. He stated that the assertion of glyphosate's safety by regulators does not withstand scientific scrutiny, and called for reduced use in both agricultural and urban settings.
The Health and Safety Executive is due to re-examine glyphosate's authorisation this year, with a public consultation expected soon. Green MP Siân Berry has tabled a private member's bill calling for councils to ban glyphosate in public areas, arguing that many councils already manage plant growth without hazardous chemicals.
Parents at Victoria Park in Tower Hamlets expressed shock and concern. Dafina Bozha said playgrounds should be the safest place for children, while another mother, Naz B, argued that playgrounds should be about nature and survival, not unnatural chemicals.
