A new investigation is underway to discover who is responsible for the use of a toxic weedkiller around the perimeter of St Mary’s Infants School, Marlborough, and the grass verges that link Ducks Meadow with Orchard Road.
Dr Sam Page, chairman of Transition Marlborough, raised the alarm last year with Nick Fogg, one of Marlborough’s Wiltshire councillors, as the county is responsible for education, and it was understood that the problem had been solved.
But Dr Page has repeated her concern that a powerful weedkiller, probably glyphosate, known as ‘Roundup’, is being used on a regular basis in the area of St Mary’s school.
She is concerned about the vulnerability of children and pregnant women exposed to the spray-on poison.
“A few weeks ago, during term time, the path that runs alongside the Nursery School at St Mary’s was also sprayed with weedkiller,” she told Marlborough News Online.
“There now seems to be some confusion regarding who is responsible for spraying these herbicides and my request has now been passed on to facilities management.”
“As an agricultural scientist, who has advised on ‘safe use of herbicides and pesticides’ for African farmers, I am extremely concerned that very young children are being unwittingly exposed to harmful chemicals in a school environment that is supposed to protect them.”
Councillor Fogg told Marlborough News Online: “I have got Wiltshire back on the case, but it is not yet clear who has sprayed the weedkiller. Wiltshire’s Andrew Jack is investigating the issue and trying to find out who was responsible for putting the weedkiller down.”
“So we are in a state of limbo until we discover the culprit. But obviously it is not a good idea to use this kind of toxic material with children around.”
“We are now on the case and an investigation is taking place.”
Marlborough Golf Club Championship sees new course record
