International
Pesticide Free Towns Taking Hold Worldwide with Growth in Europe (Beyond Pesticides, June 26, 2024) 'The Hungarian city of Törökbálint (featured above) is one of several dozen towns to join the European Pesticide Free Towns Network, an initiative of Pesticide Action Network (PAN) Europe.' 'We are also working to promote the public acceptance of environmentally friendly mosquito control.” In joining the European Pesticide Free Towns Network, each city must pledge to four primary objectives:
- Ban the use of herbicides in public areas under city/town’s control
- Ban the use of all pesticides in public areas under city/town’s control
- Extend the ban of pesticides to private areas with public access and agricultural areas next to where citizens live
- Step up greening efforts towards local biodiversity enhancement
There are three tiers or categories in which local governments can adhere to: “glyphosate free in public area”, “pesticide free in public area”, and “entire pesticide free.” According to the database as of the day of publication, currently there are over 100 cities and towns that fall into “pesticide free in public area,” two banning glyphosate use in public areas and just one city in Europe banning all pesticide use. There is a legacy of EU member states leading the charge on pesticide regulations and bans, as laid out on the Policy & Strategies page. Germany, Italy, Belgium, Denmark, France, Spain, and Luxembourg are acknowledged as leaders.'
France Enacts Sweeping Restrictions on Pesticide Use in Public and Private Landscaped Areas (Beyond Pesticides, July 13, 2022) A new law in France bans the use of lawn and landscape pesticides in both public and private areas frequently used by the public. The law, which came into effect at the beginning of this month, applies throughout the country and extends the scope of a previous decree that restricted pesticide use on green spaces in public areas.' The article includes a 'laundry list of sensitive sites where pesticide use can unnecessarily harm individuals or the wider public:'
EU Bans Pesticides in Parks, Playgrounds, and Playing Fields; Fails to Set Organic Transition Goals in Ag (Beyond Pesticides, July 1, 2022) 'The European Commission (EC) introduced on June 22 new rules that ban all pesticides in “public parks or gardens, playgrounds, recreation or sports grounds, public paths, as well as ecologically sensitive areas.” In agriculture, the policy adopts strategies for achieving the pesticide use- and risk-reduction goals of its Farm to Fork initiative.' " In order to protect human health and the environment, the use of plant protection products in sensitive areas and within 3 metres of such areas, should therefore be prohibited. Derogations from the prohibition should only be allowed under certain conditions and on a case by-case basis.” 'On this side of the pond, USDA recently announced significantly greater funding for the transition of U.S. agricultural acres to organic production.' SNAP Comment: 3 meters is a very small buffer...
Pesticide-Free Towns Campaign gains momentum (in the UK) (PAN UK, March 22nd, 2019) Not long after the recent news from the London Borough of Croydon, which has ended the use of pesticides in all its public parks and green spaces, we have news from three major UK cities that are switching to pesticide-free: Bristol, Derry and Trafford, joining the ranks of Hammersmith & Fulham, Lewes, Wadebridge, Glastonbury and others.
France Bans Pesticides in Public Green Spaces (The Associated Press, Dec 29, 2016) French children will soon be able to frolic in the grass without risk of intoxication.Pesticides will be banned in all public green spaces from Sunday while non-professional gardeners will no longer be able to buy pesticides over the counter. The new measure is part of a larger green program adopted by French lawmakers that also includes a ban on plastic bags for vegetables. The pesticide ban covers public forests, parks and gardens, but local authorities are still allowed to use pesticides in cemeteries. The new law also stipulates that pesticides will be prohibited in private gardens from 2019.