Half of UK councils still use pesticides in public places, research finds

Pesticide-free movement has grown, but many local authorities still spray weedkiller linked to wildlife declines and cancer

More than half of councils in the United Kingdom continue to use pesticides in parks, playgrounds, pavements, playing fields and housing estates, research revealed on Wednesday.

But increasingly, local authorities are taking action to end or reduce their use of pesticides, according to research by the Pesticide Action Network.