Upset as more herbicide used near mid-Wales homes

Residents have expressed upset after more herbicide was used on pavements near homes in Machynlleth.

On 9 July a resident questioned a Powys County Council worker who was spraying weeds around the Tregarth area.

Powys County Council previously stated that herbicide is only used once a year, which was done in April. However, workers in a Powys Council van were spotted spraying in Machynlleth in May around a PlayPod on a housing estate, causing a children’s play session to be cancelled and triggering complaints from parents.

Residents have previously called on the council to issue a timetable for spraying and maps so locals know when and where spraying will take place.

Concern is particularly around the type of herbicide used - Nomix products which contain glyphosate, a chemical the World Health Organisation classed as “probably carcinogenic to humans” in 2015.

A disgruntled resident who did not want to be named said: “This isn't about weeds or no weeds, it is perfectly reasonable to manage weeds in our urban areas without the use of chemicals and many councils across the UK are already doing so as part of the Pesticide Free Towns Campaigns.

“We urge the council to stop exposing our streets to toxic chemicals.”

A 2025 Bugs Matter survey found that flying insects on vehicle number plates have dropped by 55 per cent in Wales in the last five years, with chemical use a major driver of this decline.

Clare Dinham from Buglife, which ran the survey, said: “Despite apparently favourable conditions for insects to thrive, we have recorded a fifth year of significant decline.

“Insects might be small, but they are incredibly important to maintaining healthy environments, and delivering the services that we and other animals rely upon – from healthy soils and clean rivers to pollinating crops.

“Losing 55 per cent of our insect life is potentially catastrophic.

“Urgent action is needed to restore nature at scale and reduce threats like pesticide use, habitat loss, and climate change.”

The resident added: “Glyphosate is the world’s most widely used herbicide and an ever-growing body of research links glyphosate to environmental and human health harms; we don't want it used where we live, work and play.”

Powys County Council use Nomix Enviro herbicide using the Total Droplet Control system described as having “virtually no drift”, reducing the amount of herbicide used.

The product is said to be “rainfast in 30 minutes”, meaning that humans and pets will not be harmed after that time.

A spokesperson for Powys County Council defended the spraying, stating: “Yesterday a small amount of spraying, to manage overgrown weeds on the kerbs and a footpath outside the Tregarth properties opposite the cemetery, was carried out by one of our housing estate caretakers.

“This was the only occasion this year that this area has been treated.”

Cyngor Gwynedd Council has recently revised their spraying and cutting practices, allowing road verges that don’t obstruct vision to grow, producing wildflowers for the benefit of insects and wildlife - a move praised by local ecologist Ben Porter.