Cancer-linked pesticide found in eight out of thirteen children’s playgrounds

A new study, launched today, has found residues of the weedkiller glyphosate and its toxic breakdown product – AMPA – in English playgrounds.

PAN UK tested samples of soil and plant material and swabbed children’s play equipment in thirteen playgrounds across three English counties and two London boroughs. None of the playgrounds were particularly close to agricultural fields, suggesting that the contamination detected is likely to originate from the widespread use of glyphosate by UK councils to remove unwanted plants in public spaces.

“It is deeply concerning to find a Highly Hazardous Pesticide like glyphosate present in the very places where our children play. UK glyphosate use has skyrocketed in recent years, as has the evidence linking this chemical to serious health conditions. We all know that young children tend to put their fingers and other items in their mouths so finding glyphosate residues in playgrounds, including on play equipment such as swings and slides, is particularly worrying.” Nick Mole, Policy Officer, PAN UK

Glyphosate has been linked repeatedly to a range of chronic diseases, most notably cancer. Children are more vulnerable than adults to the health impacts of pesticides since their brains and bodies are still in development and less able to cope with toxins. A 2023 study from UC Berkeley School of Public Health found that childhood exposure to glyphosate and AMPA threatens to increase the risk of developing serious disease in later life, such as liver cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.