Across the UK, a wide range of different pesticides (including insecticides, herbicides, fungicides and rodenticides) are used in our villages, towns and cities. In fact, the second most common way for most people in the UK to be exposed to pesticides (after diet) is through spending time in public spaces.
The vast majority of pesticides applied in public spaces are herbicides (weed killers), used to remove unwanted vegetation largely for cosmetic reasons. Some of these pesticides – including glyphosate, which makes up at least 90% of the pesticides used in public spaces, including children’s playgrounds – have been linked to the development of cancers and other serious diseases such as Parkinson’s.
Glyphosate is classified as a Highly Hazardous Pesticide (HHP) due to its potential harmful impact on human health. In June 2025, the most comprehensive study ever conducted on glyphosate was published. The Global Glyphosate Study concluded that glyphosate and glyphosate-based herbicides cause multiple types of cancer, even at exposure levels deemed to be “safe” by governments.
Pesticides have also been shown to have devastating impacts on biodiversity, both harming wildlife directly and removing plants relied upon by birds, insects and other animals for food and shelter. These chemicals also run off hard surfaces, contaminating water courses and harming aquatic species.
Although often branded as harmless by the pesticide industry, pesticides are designed to kill or control organisms, and their effects almost always extend beyond their intended target. The impact can spread across multiple areas of life and ecosystems:
1. Insects and other arthropods
Insects—including our vital pollinators—such as bees, butterflies, and predatory beetles—are often harmed alongside pests. This disrupts pollination and natural pest control systems, which can lead to further ecological imbalance.
2. Aquatic life (including invertebrates)
Run-off carries pesticides into rivers, lakes, and oceans. Aquatic invertebrates (such as crustaceans and insect larvae) are especially sensitive, and their decline affects fish and entire food chains.
3. Soil organisms
Earthworms, fungi, and bacteria that maintain soil health can be damaged. This reduces soil fertility and disrupts nutrient cycling.
4. Birds and terrestrial wildlife
Birds may ingest pesticides directly (e.g. treated seeds) or indirectly through contaminated prey. This can cause reproductive issues, neurological problems, or death. Mammals (including pets) can also be affected in similar ways.
5. Plants (non-target species)
Herbicides can drift or persist in soil, harming wild plants and reducing biodiversity, especially in nearby habitats.
6. Humans
Exposure can occur through food, water, or occupational contact. Effects range from short-term symptoms (like skin or eye irritation) to long-term risks, including links to certain cancers, endocrine disruption, and neurological issues—depending on the chemical and level of exposure.
7. Ecosystems as a whole
Because ecosystems are interconnected, harming one group (such as insects or soil microbes) can cascade into wider effects—altering food webs, reducing biodiversity, and weakening ecosystem resilience.
In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (ARC, part of the UN World Health Organisation) declared glyphosate to be genotoxic (it causes DNA damage), carcinogenic to animals, and a “probable carcinogen” to humans. This ruling was based on a review of one thousand publicly available scientific studies by independent experts. This has led to a spate of US court cases linking Monsanto’s Roundup – which contains glyphosate as its key ingredient – to the potential risk of developing non-Hodgkin lymphoma (a type of cancer). Many of these cases were linked to non-agricultural activities such as grounds maintenance and landscape gardening. Landmark legal defeats for Monsanto (now Baer) have resulted in jury verdicts worth billions.