Glyphosate is a commonly available herbicide that is licensed for use in the UK by Government. It is the active ingredient in many weed killers, such as Roundup.
Our wholly-owned direct services company, ODS, uses glyphosate selectively to control weeds on highways, streets and other paved areas.
How we use Glyphosate
We follow best practice in accordance with Government regulations, such as:
- we only apply glyphosate directly onto individual weeds, rather than generally sprayed across a general area
- we don't apply glyphosate during windy conditions where the herbicide can impact other plants
- we ensure staff are trained and wear appropriate PPE
Where we use Glyphosate
Glyphosate is used to help protect hard paved areas which can be damaged by weeds growing up through cracks. We apply it to hard paved areas three times a year between April and September.
We only use glyphosate on:
- back edges and kerb lines of footpaths and tennis courts
- car parking and garages
- paved areas where weeds are penetrating the surface
- to remove problem weeds like Himalayan Balsam and Japanese Knotweed, as there is no viable alternative treatment for these
Glyphosate is not used in parks and open spaces (except for park tennis courts) including on trees and grass verges. It has not been used in any of Oxford’s parks and green spaces at any point in the past decade.
2023 Glyphosate review
In August 2023, we carried out a review into the use of glyphosate in Oxford. The review examined the cost and effectiveness of alternative weed treatments being trialled by other councils across the UK.
The review found that significant care was already being taken in the way glyphosate is used across Oxford.
It also found that controlled use of glyphosate was more cost-effective and efficient than alternative weed treatments such as hot water, hot foam, acetic acid, and manual weed control. It was especially effective in controlling invasive species like Japanese Knotweed that can negatively impact biodiversity and cause environmental harm.
For further information, see Review of Glyphosate Use by Oxford Direct Services to manage weeds on behalf of Oxford City Council on the MyCouncil website.
