Ban all pesticides in UK gardens to save bees and insects, says expert

Petition calls for outlawing use of chemicals in private and public areas to slow insect decline and protect human health

A leading insect expert has called for a UK-wide ban on the use of pesticides in gardens and urban areas to protect bees, wildlife and human health.

Dave Goulson, a professor of biology at the University of Sussex, said outlawing chemical spraying in the country's 22m private gardens, along with road verges, parks and other green spaces, could slow insect decline by creating a network of nature-friendly habitats where insects can recover.