Weedkiller row has finally been resolved at North Lanarkshire Council

In August 2020 the Council took the unanimous decision to ban Glyphosate over concerns to health and its effect on the Environment.

Recently at the Environment and Transportation Committee a report was tabled recommending that Glyphosate be reintroduced as there was no alternative.

The report was backed by Labour and Conservative Councillors but an amendment by Councillor William Goldie (Environmental Lead for the SNP) succeeded. This upheld the ban on Glyphosate.

Councillor Goldie said: "The decision to stop the use of Glyphosate was the correct one and I was grateful that the Independent Councillors backed the SNP amendment at Committee to maintain the ban.

He added: “I am also happy that an alternative weedkiller is now in stock and that NLC can resume spraying immediately.

“The speed that an alternative could be found so quickly is testament to the work of the Officers of NLC."

Cumbernauld East Independent councillor and environmental campaigner Paddy Hogg had originally campaigned against the use of the substance and was instrumental in the matter being raised at a full council meeting back in 2019.

At this point, he tabled a motion which requested the council recognised “the global health and environmental concerns regarding the use of weed killers containing glyphosates” and asked for a report to the Environment and Transportation Committee outlining potential alternatives.”

Councillor Hogg said that he had been approached by a number of Cumbernauld -based environmental activists on the matter. He added: “They pointed out this weed killer is sprayed on parks, walkways, near shrubs and areas where kids play and on weeds which are left to wither and die. I investigated the use of the weed killer in the UK and Europe and found some London boroughs now ban its use and many public organisations are phasing out their use of Glyphosate.”

Two American gardeners won millions of dollars in compensation after contracting cancer and manufacturer Monsanto is now facing thousands of lawsuits.