Monday January 26th 2026
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Paul Kelly
Scottish Borders Council is being asked to ban its use of a controversial weedkiller.
The local authority uses glyphosate-based weedkiller to maintain public spaces and manage street plant growth.
But there are concerns about its health risks and there is pressure from local campaigners to ban it.
The council has continued to use the chemical, though they have been in the process of reviewing alternatives and looking to trial herbicide-free solutions.
When members of Scottish Borders Council meet on Thursday, January 29, members will be invited to endorse a motion from Galashiels & District Scottish Green Party councillor Neil MacKinnon.
The motion requests that the council asks its officers to prepare a report regarding the potential to reduce the use of glyphosate weedkiller with a view to eliminating its use completely by 2028.
Mr MacKinnon’s motion states: “The report should explore the feasibility of potential pilot areas for 26/27 and take account of any budgetary pressures as a result of changes to service provision.”
Glyphosate is a widely used, non-selective, systemic herbicide that kills most weeds and grasses by inhibiting the plant enzyme necessary for growth.
Commonly known by brand names like Roundup, it is absorbed through leaves and travels to the roots, making it effective for killing annual and perennial weeds.
Its use is highly controversial and widely debated.
While major regulatory agencies like the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) have concluded it is unlikely to be carcinogenic, the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified it as a “probably carcinogenic to humans” in 2015.
The controversy stems from conflicting studies, health fears, environmental damage, and potential industry influence on safety reports.
The Midlothian Council has restricted the use of Glyphosate for over seven years.
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