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To: Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol

Marvin Rees: deliver your promise to ban glyphosate in Bristol

WE DID IT!

Thanks to your support, Bristol City Council has agreed to our proposal for a Task Force to lead on the phase-out of glyphosate in our city.

During the council debate, which was triggered by your petition signatures, Councillors voted unanimously in favour of a motion to stop using the controversial chemical in Bristol’s public spaces.

The new Task Force will see the Council working with land managers across the city to plan a phase-out of glyphosate, and the transition to safer methods of weed control.

We’ll be supporting the Council in this work, as well as keeping a close eye on the small print – so watch this space!

Read the text of speeches, statements and the motion on our website: http://www.pesticidesafebristol.org/news/
Watch the video here: youtube.com/watch?v=k2BlzQdYyfc. (Watch from 30m for Bee The Change Project statement on how glyphosate impacts pollinators, and from 1hr11m for main petition debate)
Spread the good news by sharing our Facebook posts: www.facebook.com/PesticideSafeBristolAlliance

With thanks for your support,

The Pesticide Safe Bristol Alliance team

We call on Marvin Rees to commit to a city-wide ban on the use of glyphosate weed killers in Bristol’s public spaces, by 2021 latest. Bristol City Council is still spraying this toxic chemical in our streets, parks and housing estates. In his election campaign, Marvin promised to make this stop – two years later, its time to deliver.

Why is this important?

In 2016, Marvin Rees promised us action on glyphosate – a toxic weed killer still used in Bristol despite its links to cancer and other health harms for humans and wildlife.

Marvin said he would ban glyphosate and carry out a city-wide trial of alternatives. He said he would review the Council’s weed control contracts for housing and streets. The Bristol Labour party said it would “stop using harmful pesticides”.

BUT none of this has happened – and incredibly, the Council now insists glyphosate is a “safe product” after angry parents reported the spraying of glyphosate outside a nursery school, just as the children arrived. It also told local media “there are no current plans to use alternative methods”.

Meanwhile, the evidence linking glyphosate to cancer is growing. In a recent landmark case in California, chemical giant Monsanto has been found liable for a terminally ill man’s cancer, caused by a herbicide containing glyphosate, known as Roundup.

Why the U-turn, Marvin? Bristol’s people, pets and wildlife deserve better. There are reports of glyphosate being sprayed with no warning near to school children, and of cats and dogs poisoned by licking treated weeds.

To show our Mayor that Bristol citizens mean business when it comes to a toxic-free city, please sign this petition. Other local authorities including Edinburgh, North Somerset, Lewes and the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham are starting to ditch glyphosate, why not Bristol?

Bristol

Maps © Stamen; Data © OSM and contributors, ODbL

Updates

2019-01-18 14:13:33 +0000

Petition is successful with 3,857 signatures

2018-08-16 06:47:45 +0100

1,000 signatures reached

2018-08-15 16:53:58 +0100

500 signatures reached

2018-08-15 14:46:43 +0100

100 signatures reached

2018-08-15 14:40:29 +0100

50 signatures reached

2018-08-15 14:37:43 +0100

25 signatures reached

2018-08-15 14:34:41 +0100

10 signatures reached