As part of the No More Glyphosate NZ Council Herbicide Transparency Project, we asked councils across New Zealand about herbicide use in public spaces, the products being used, the policies governing their use, and whether these practices have been reviewed in recent years.
Kapiti Coast District Council provided a detailed response, including information about where herbicides are used, application frequency, the regulatory framework guiding herbicide use, and a chemical inventory listing products held by the council.
Quick Summary
| Topic | Response |
|---|---|
| Glyphosate-based herbicides used? | Yes |
| Other herbicides used? | Yes |
| Product list supplied? | Yes |
| Herbicide policy referenced? | Yes |
| Application locations identified? | Yes |
| Application frequency explained? | Yes |
| Public notification mentioned? | No |
| Opt-out option mentioned? | Yes |
| Last review clearly identified? | No |
| Supporting documents supplied? | Yes |
What We Learned
Kapiti Coast District Council confirmed that herbicides are used across a range of public spaces, including parks, reserves, road reserves, footpaths, sports fields, tracks, trails, and ecological restoration sites.
The council explained that application frequency varies depending on the location and purpose of the treatment. Some programmes operate on scheduled seasonal cycles, while others occur throughout the year in response to weed growth and management requirements.
The response also included a chemical inventory showing that the council maintains a broad range of herbicides, alongside fungicides, insecticides, rodenticides, and other pest-management products.
The inventory supplied by the council is one of the more extensive received through the Council Herbicide Transparency Project to date, reflecting the wide range of vegetation, pest, and environmental management activities undertaken across council-managed land.
10 June 2026: After publication of this article, the council advised that it maintains a No Spray Register for residents who wish to opt out of roadside spraying adjacent to their property.
Where Herbicides Are Used
The council advised that herbicides may be applied in:
- Parks and reserves
- Road reserves
- Footpaths
- Sports fields
- Tracks and trails
- Ecological restoration sites
The frequency of spraying depends on the type of site and the weeds being targeted.
For example, track and trail edges are typically sprayed twice each year during spring and autumn. Sports fields may also receive prickly-weed treatments twice annually, although some autumn applications occur only where required.
Roadside pampas control is generally undertaken once per year, while ecological restoration sites may receive herbicide treatments throughout the year depending on weed presence and growth stage.
Products Identified
Kapiti Coast District Council supplied a chemical inventory containing more than 60 products.
The inventory includes glyphosate-based herbicides and a range of other herbicide products commonly associated with active ingredients such as dicamba, MCPA, picloram, amitrole, glufosinate, fluroxypyr, and haloxyfop.
In a follow-up response, the council advised that Glyphosate 360 is typically used in ecological restoration areas, tracks, trails, sports fields, and roadside spraying programmes.
Products listed included:
- Knock Out 360
- Terminate Herbicide
- Activated Amitrole
- Dicamba 500
- Banvine Herbicide
- MCPA 750
- Starane Xtra
- Liberty 200SL Herbicide
- Gallant Ultra
- Fusilade Forte
- Cut’n’Paste Picloram Gel
- Cut’n’Paste MetGel
The inventory also included a range of fungicides, insecticides, rodenticides, adjuvants and other pest-management products used across council operations.
Policies and Reviews
Kapiti Coast District Council advised that herbicide use is guided by:
- Greater Wellington’s Natural Resources Plan for the Wellington Region
- Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996 (HSNO)
- Health and Safety at Work (Hazardous Substances) Regulations 2017
In a follow-up response, the council advised that herbicide applications are also governed by internally developed Standard Operating Procedures and Growsafe best-practice guidelines.
When asked when the current approach to herbicide use was last formally reviewed, the council referred to the development of Greater Wellington’s 2023 Natural Resources Plan.
However, the response did not identify a specific date when Kapiti Coast District Council itself last formally reviewed its herbicide-use programme or vegetation-management practices.
The council confirmed that contractors are used for herbicide application work. According to the council, contractors are required to be SiteWise accredited and operate under the requirements of Greater Wellington’s Natural Resources Plan.
Public Notification and Opt-Out Options
Following publication of this article, Kapiti Coast District Council advised that it maintains a No Spray Register for residents who wish to request that roadside spraying not occur adjacent to their property.
Information about the register is available through the council’s website.
Documents Provided
The council supplied:
- Application location information
- Application frequency information
- Policy and regulatory references
- Chemical shed inventory
Why This Matters
Across New Zealand, councils manage thousands of hectares of parks, reserves, sports fields, roadsides, tracks, and other public spaces.
Understanding what products are being used, where they are applied, and what policies guide their use helps communities make informed decisions and contributes to greater transparency around public-space weed management.
The Council Herbicide Transparency Project aims to build a nationwide public record of how herbicides are managed across New Zealand’s local authorities, allowing residents to better understand practices in their own communities.
Information Request Details
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| LGOIMA Reference | OIR: 2526/393 & 2526/408 |
| Request Submitted | 5 May 2026 |
| Response Received | 12 & 14 May 2026 |
Information current as supplied by Kapiti Coast District Council on 12 & 14 May & 10 June 2026, with additional clarifications provided in a follow-up response.
Image Source & Attribution
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This feature image is based on an original photograph by Wirestock from Depositphotos. The image was subsequently adapted using AI-assisted image generation and refined in Canva to create a stylised regional illustration for this article.
