There are many effective and sustainable alternatives to herbicides available for managing weeds in the urban setting. There is no single approach that will accommodate the needs of every council so a range of solutions have been adopted by councils across the UK.
In addition to replacing pesticides with non-chemical alternatives such as hot water, foam and brushing, many pesticide-free councils are also taking preventative measures (such as removing soil from streets in February before the growth season starts) which reduce habitats for weeds to establish in the first place. Other pesticide-free councils are allowing areas to become wilder, while communicating with local residents to accept more ‘weediness’ and using community groups and volunteers to clear areas that have to be maintained for accessibility or infrastructure reasons. Usually it is a combination of techniques that provides the greatest level of success. Just like electric cars for example, as demand grows for non-chemical alternatives the existing techniques will become more refined and new methods will come on the market.
For more information on alternatives see PAN UK’s guide for local authorities.