Sheffield Council refuse to set a target to ban Glyphosate.

Extinction Rebellion bees swarmed in front of Sheffield Town Hall this morning – including one scarcely past the larval stage and a queen –  as they buzzed happily around. That was until they were attacked with glyphosate, resulting rapidly in their disorientation and death!

A banner was unfurled demanding ‘Ban Glyphosate’ and subsequently the (miraculously recovered!) bees buzzed off into the Town Hall, to put questions to the the Waste and Street Scene Committee, pointing out how destructive Glyphosate is to bees, other insects as well as humans and to ask the council not to spray it in our streets, parks, playgrounds – indeed anywhere in Sheffield.

Pressure from Extinction Rebellion has persuaded the Council to reduce its use of the poisonous herbicide Glyphosate from 140,000 litres of diluted product being used across this city in 2020 to currently less than 50,000 litres of diluted product being used in 2023, representing a huge overall reduction in use of Glyphosate based products in the public realm.

However, the motion passed today has no targets or timeline by which the Council will stop using this poison. 

Spokesperson Graham Wroe said ”It was very disappointing to see Labour and Lib Dem Councillors brush aside the proposed amendment from Green Councillor Alexi Dimond which would have given this motion some teeth. We are left with vague promises from the Council to continue to reduce Glyphosate use and review it again in 6 months time. They obviously have not understood the urgency of addressing the Nature Emergency. 

We are currently experiencing the 6th mass extinction of species, and insects are taking the biggest hit. UK‘s flying insects have declined by 60% in the last 20 years. In 2019. The first thing to do to reverse this trend is to stop poisoning them with herbicides, insecticides and pesticides. As well as destroying their food sources Glyphosate has a direct health impact on bees.It alters the beneficial gut flora of bees making them more susceptible to disease and it harms the bees navigation abilities which endangers the hives’ survival.

Heather Worden said “This was the first time I had been to the Council to ask a question. I did not feel the answers we received adequately responded to my question. The Council need to wake up and show some urgency in dealing with the Nature Emergency.” 

The video of Bees questioning the Council Committee can be seen here. (Click Public questions and Petitions and scroll 28 minutes in)

The full debate is here (Click 10.Glyphosate Reduction Trial Update)

To help XR in our campaigns come along to an XR meeting any Monday evening. Details here. To get more involved in the Pesticides campaign contact me on graham@tellthetruthsheffield.org and ask to be added to the Whats App group.