Weed control report released by Advanced Invasives

Earlier this month an invasive weed consultancy, Advanced Invasives, released a detailed report written on behalf of Cardiff City Council, which tested and evaluated several weed control methods currently used in urban areas. 
 
Whilst amenity weed control methods are regularly compared and the relative merits of chemical and non-chemical methods debated, this report is worthy of note due to the detail of investigation and consideration of metrics including cost, several environmental factors, quality, and customer satisfaction.  
 
Over the last decade, weed control and particularly weed control using Glyphosate has become a topic of debate.  Glyphosate-based products have faced increased scrutiny following the publication of a report by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in 2015, as well as reports of high-profile court cases which suggest the use of glyphosate posed a hazard to users of the product.  Despite other, peer-reviewed research indicating glyphosate is safe, some countries have adopted a precautionary approach and either banned or limited the use of glyphosate.
 
The use of glyphosate is not yet restricted in the United Kingdom, where approximately 2 million kgs are applied annually.  Agriculture accounts for 90% of glyphosate use with the remainder administered by the amenity sector.    
 
The future of amenity weed control in the UK remains unknown; supporters of chemical and non-chemical methods offer differing opinions, which frequently leaves the landscape industry stuck in a middle-ground between clients, the public and legislators. 
 
The report produced by Advanced Invasives offers a balanced review of the most popular options for custodians of amenity spaces, tasked with managing weed growth.  The report highlights the importance of considering all factors when selecting a product or regime.
 
Association members who use plant protection products such as glyphosate professionally are reminded of the importance of registering basic information about their activities with Defra, as per the requirements of The Official Controls (Plant Protection Products) Regulations 2020.  See the link in the Further reading section of the article for more information.

Further reading:

Weed control trial 2021
Plant protection products: register as a professional user