Pesticide Action Network UK (PAN) For information about hazardous pesticides and their alternatives
Pesticide-Free Devon Network is a collaboration of local individuals, groups and organisations across the County of Devon, who want to transition away from the use of pesticides to control unwanted plants and organisms in a range of locations including – farms, municipal green space, allotments and gardens. Find lots of resources here about local initiatives, knowledge sharing and practical advise.
A guide for Local Authorities on becoming pesticide free – In January 2026 we shared this document with all Teignbridge Parish Councils and Teignbridge District Councillors to highlight the issues around pesticide use and outline practical steps toward pesticide-free management.
Progress towards giving pesticides the boot! An update by WW Shira Rub
Awareness of the damage caused to the natural world and to our own health through pesticide use is growing and the issue is now much more mainstream than in the past which is really good news.
In the last year Wildlife Wardens have been involved in the following ways:
Throughout the year – Audrey and Vicky have been meeting with the Green Spaces Team and Idverde contractors to bring the wider issue managing public spaces for increased biodiversity as well as specifically discussing pesticide use. Good relationships have been forged, and things are moving in a positive direction.
January 2025 – I gave my first “Murder in the Garden” talk and have since spoken at Teignmouth Gardening Club and Chudleigh Wild, with two further talks in the pipeline for this year. The materials have also proved good prompts for discussion at Wildlife Warden stands at various events.
March 2025 – A small group of us met with Andrew Rothery of Newton Abbot Green Futures, who spearheaded the Bradley Check the Shed campaign which enabled people to have pesticides collected from their homes. We discussed what might be possible in the wider Teignbridge area. Funding is an issue as well as safe collection and disposal. Andrew has since gone on to organise Check the Shed across Newton Abbot and this is now in its closing stages. We will see where this goes from here.
June 2025 – Some of us attended the Pesticide Free Devon conference organised by Andrew Rothery, which was very successful. Find out more about it here.
Also in June – Research was published that showed clearly the carcinogenic effects of glyphosate and this added impetus to our efforts. Read about here.
November 2025 – Bishopsteignton WWs managed, through good communication and providing councillors with full information about the impacts and the alternatives, were successful in getting their parish council to vote for a transition to being pesticide free. Well done!
January 2026 – Audrey, Vicky and I wrote to all Parish Councils and District Councillors in Teignbridge, providing them with information about the reasons for being pesticide free, what has been achieved in other areas/countries, and to ask what discussions and actions their councils may have taken. This is enabling us to build a picture of how much progress is being made in TDC (great spreadsheet Vicky) as well as resulting in some very positive responses from Councillors wishing to be take the issue forward. It is hoped that a meeting to discuss this further will be arranged in due course.
With pet flea treatments also making it into the mainstream media (Countryfile for example) we are very much hoping that this year will see an acceleration in progress towards giving pesticides the boot.
We have created a leaflet giving information about the safe handling and disposal of unwanted pesticides at local recycling centres – useful for the many areas across Teignbridge where an organised local collection isn’t currently available. This can be handed out at events or shared more widely.