May 16th, 2014
38 Degrees members in Hackney campaign to stop dangerous herbicide use
By Rebecca Falcon
38 Degrees member from Hackney, Katharine Hamnett, has started a petition on Campaigns by You, the part of the 38 Degrees website where anyone can start a campaign on issues that matter to them. She’s started a petition to ban the use of dangerous herbicides in Hackney’s parks.
Right now, dangerous herbicides are regularly sprayed on parks across Hackney.
Hackney prides itself on its parks. But the Council’s use of toxic herbicides could be posing serious health risks to local people barbecuing, eating and playing in our parks. It also threatens a variety of bees and other wildlife.
Together, 38 Degrees members could help stop the use of ‘Roundup’, a herbicide produced by Monsanto, in Hackney’s parks. Over 1,800 people have already signed the petition to try to force the Council to ditch their use of dangerous herbicides.
Using dangerous pesticides on our parks doesn’t make sense. Studies have shown a link between ‘Roundup’ and infertility, kidney failure and other serious health problems. And research by Friends of the Earth found that the herbicide has entered our water system.
There are thousands of 38 Degrees members in Hackney. If we can persuade the council to stop using Roundup we could set a precedent to stop councils using dangerous pesticides across the UK.
Katharine is holding a public meeting from 1-2 pm on Saturday near London Fields to plan the campaign strategy. For more details and to RSVP please click here.
