Weed control is a crucial part of maintaining public spaces, keeping them safe and accessible for people to enjoy. Up to now, much of that weed removal has been done using herbicides, which usually contain the controversial chemical, glyphosate. In fact, glyphosate makes up at least 90% of the pesticides used in public spaces, according to PAN UK.
While local authorities and landscapers have relied on glyphosate-based-herbicides heavily for decades, the weed control landscape has experienced a significant step-change in recent years. Health and environmental concerns surrounding glyphosate have driven huge shifts in public opinion and influenced regulatory change, leading many councils to seek out alternative ways to control weeds.
Why are parks and public spaces going herbicide-free?
- Growing public opposition - 65% of the UK public agree that public spaces in their local area should be pesticide-free. Herbicide-free weed killers ease concerns and help keep the public safe.
- Regulation - Some towns are banning the use of pesticides altogether, while 45% of UK councils have either stopped using or are taking proactive steps to end their use of pesticides. Organisations are increasingly seeking safe, viable alternatives to comply or get ahead of changing regulation.
- Health concerns - Glyphosate has been classified as a ‘probable human carcinogen’ by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, while a recent scientific study has linked the chemical to increased incidences of cancer even at supposedly ‘safe’ exposure levels.
- Waterway restrictions - As herbicides can only be used around waterways in certain circumstances after gaining permission from the Environment Agency, organisations often require a faster, less restricted solution.
- Environmental damage - Herbicides compromise soil health and ecosystems, and contaminate waterways via rainwater runoff, harming aquatic animals and plant life. This has repercussions for water companies and consumers. In fact, South West Water estimates 17% of the amount of customers’ bills results from passing on the cost of pesticide removal.
- Danger to animals - Herbicides pose danger to pets and wildlife. Research from the University of Birmingham found links to embryonic development failure and DNA, metabolic and gut damage, even at approved regulatory levels. Chemical-free weed control alternatives keep animals safe and give pet owners peace of mind when using parks and public spaces.
- Sustainability - Herbicides generate significant carbon emissions from production, packaging, transportation and disposal. Eco-friendly alternatives like Foamstream help organisations reduce their environmental impact and bring closer alignment with net zero targets.
What herbicide-free weed killer methods are there for parks and public land?
- Manual - Manual weeding is usually more effective for annual weeds with shallow roots than perennial weeds with deeper root systems. However, as it demands significant time and physical effort, it’s not easily scalable or cost effective for big parks and public areas.
- Hot water - Using heat from hot water to sufficiently damage the weed’s cells. While a more scalable solution for vast public spaces, hot water alone can quickly lose heat to the atmosphere, making the process less effective and requiring more frequent treatments.
- Burning - Flame weeding is a fast and more easily-scalable solution, but one that comes with fire risks in hot weather and prolonged dry spells. While burning is chemical-free, it typically only targets the weed at the surface, and is less effective at tackling deeper, more established roots.
- Strimming - Strimming is effective at tackling weeds and unwanted growth along the sides of roads, paths and flower beds, but its cutting movement disturbs seed beds and spores, leading to increased weed coverage. For this reason, strimming typically needs to be paired with another method to tackle weeds in the long term.
- Foamstream - Foamstream pairs the power of hot water with an insulating foam to maintain weed ‘kill temperatures’ for the necessary length of time. Made with plant oils and sugars, the organic foam is biodegradable and safe for use around people, animals and delicate ecosystems. With specialist machinery to tackle large-scale and hard-to-reach areas, Foamstream is a cost-effective, scalable and eco-friendly solution.
How much do herbicide-free weeding methods cost?
When weighing up cost, it’s important to consider the price of the treatment, associated equipment and fuel along with the likely number of annual treatment cycles and the required labour time.
While it will vary from site to site, Glastonbury Council’s cost analysis provides a helpful comparison:
| Method | Cost per 1000 linear metres |
| Hand weeding by contractor | £320 |
| Hot water treatment by contractor | £260 |
| Glyphosate treatment by contractor | £230 |
| Foamstream - factoring in costs of diesel, foam, in-house application, van and water
(Excluding initial cost of equipment) |
£70 |
As well as being the cheapest treatment, Foamstream also kills over 95% of weeds on first application, compared to 50–60% for hot water systems. This slows regrowth, resulting in fewer annual treatment cycles and reducing labour time.
Future-proof weeding operations with a herbicide-free solution
The regulatory landscape and increasing education around the damaging impact of glyphosate is driving momentum in the shift to herbicide-free weeding methods. Forward-thinking councils are ensuring public land maintenance reflects the interests and priorities of the people using it, not compromising their health and safety for a ‘convenient’ growing season fix.
Ready to learn more about the glyphosate alternatives on the market? Talk to the expert Weedingtech team today, or arrange a demo to see Foamstream in action for yourself.
