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 those practices have been formally reviewed.
Upper Hutt City Council provided information relating to herbicide use across sports fields, parks, playgrounds, gardens, tracks, stream environments, pest plant management operations, and the roading corridor. The response included a product summary table identifying a range of herbicides and vegetation-management products used throughout the city, together with information on application frequencies and locations.
Quick Summary
| Topic | Response |
|---|---|
| Glyphosate-based herbicides used? | Yes |
| Other herbicides used? | Yes |
| Product information supplied? | Yes |
| Application locations identified? | Yes |
| Application frequency supplied? | Yes |
| Policy information supplied? | No (information not held) |
| Formal review information supplied? | No |
| Roading spraying information supplied? | Yes (follow-up provided) |
| Supporting documents supplied? | Product summary table |
What We Learned
Upper Hutt City Council confirmed the use of several glyphosate-based products, along with a range of other herbicides, growth regulators, residual weed-control products, and vegetation-management chemicals used in different operational settings. The council’s supplied spraying summary identified applications across sports fields, playgrounds, parks, gardens, tracks, stream environments, pest plant control programmes, and the roading corridor.
Glyphosate products are used in multiple locations, including around sports field hard surfaces, tracks, garden beds, roads, playgrounds, pest plant management operations, and within the roading corridor. The council advised that many glyphosate applications occur on an as-required basis rather than according to fixed schedules.
The response also identified the use of non-glyphosate products including Diquat for stream weeds, Prodiamine for street gardens and tracks, Nonanoic Acid in street gardens and around Maidstone Park, and selective herbicides including 2,4-D and Dicamba for CBD lawn management.
Several products are used within sports field maintenance programmes, including plant growth regulators, turf management products, and brush-control herbicides. The council’s summary indicates that application frequency varies considerably depending on the product and location involved.
The supplied information also identified glyphosate use around playgrounds, with applications at some sites occurring on an as-required basis and generally monthly where needed.
Where Herbicides Are Used
According to the information supplied, herbicides and related vegetation-management products are used in:
- Sports fields
- Around sports field hard surfaces and line markings
- Sand carpets
- Parks and reserves
- Garden beds
- Street gardens
- Tracks
- Roadsides
- Around playgrounds
- Maidstone Park
- Stream weed management areas
- Pest plant control operations
- Roading corridors
The council advised that application frequency varies depending on the product, season, location, and operational requirements.
Products Identified
| Product | Active Ingredient(s) |
|---|---|
| Deal 360 Glyphosate | Glyphosate |
| Yield | Benzalkonium Chloride |
| Primo Max Plant Growth Regulator | Trinexapac-ethyl |
| Short Stop 200SC | Paclobutrazol |
| Ethosin 500SC | Ethofumesate |
| Tordon Brush Killer | Picloram, Aminopyralid, Triclopyr |
| Glyphosate 360 | Glyphosate |
| Diquat | Diquat |
| Prodiamine | Prodiamine |
| Nonanoic Acid | Nonanoic Acid |
| 2,4-D Dimethylamine Salt | 2,4-D |
| Dicamba Dimethylamine Salt | Dicamba |
| Metsulfuron | Metsulfuron |
| Picloram Gel | Picloram |
| Weed Weapon Glyphosate 510 | Glyphosate |
The council also identified several Weed Weapon-branded products used within the roading corridor programme, together with associated application aids and drift-control products.
Application Frequency
The council advised that many applications occur on an operational or seasonal basis rather than under fixed schedules.
Examples provided included:
- Glyphosate around sports fields applied as required.
- Sports field growth regulators typically applied every six to eight weeks during spring and summer.
- Sand carpet treatments generally applied every four to six weeks.
- Diquat applied annually for stream weed management.
- Prodiamine applied twice annually.
- Nonanoic Acid used up to four times per year as needed.
- Some playground locations receiving glyphosate treatment on an as-required basis, with monthly applications at certain sites.
- Roading corridor spraying undertaken through three to four urban spray cycles and three rural spray cycles per year.
The council noted that spray diary information relating to some pest plant control activities was unavailable at the time of the request because the contractor responsible was unavailable until the end of June.
Policies, Standards and Oversight
When asked what policies or guidelines govern herbicide use in public spaces, Upper Hutt City Council advised that it did not hold specific policy information and refused this portion of the request under section 17(g) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987.
The council explained that contractors follow relevant legislative requirements and industry standards, including:
- Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996 (HSNO)
- Health and Safety at Work (Hazardous Substances) Regulations 2017
- Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Act 1997 (ACVM)
- EPA Hazardous Property Controls Notice 2017
- Greater Wellington Regional Council air quality and spray drift requirements
According to the council, contractors also follow manufacturer recommendations and general best-practice guidance when applying agrichemicals.
LGOIMA Process and Response Handling
On 11 May 2026, Upper Hutt City Council contacted NMGNZ seeking clarification about whether information relating to Wellington Water should be included within the request or transferred separately.
NMGNZ clarified that the request was focused on herbicide use managed directly by the council within publicly accessible council-managed spaces.
The council issued its initial response on 3 June 2026 and subsequently provided an updated spraying summary on 9 June 2026 after obtaining additional information from its roading team regarding spraying frequency within the road corridor.
The response therefore arrived in two stages, with the later update filling an identified information gap relating to roading operations.
Documents and Information Provided
Upper Hutt City Council supplied a spraying summary table identifying products, active ingredients, application frequencies, and locations where products are used.
The table included information relating to sports fields, parks, playgrounds, pest plant control activities, stream weed management, and the roading corridor.
No standalone herbicide policy, operational manual, review document, or formal herbicide management strategy was supplied in response to the request.
Observations and Outstanding Questions
Upper Hutt City Council provided a useful level of operational detail regarding products used and locations treated, particularly through the spraying summary table supplied during the request process.
One of the more notable findings from the response relates to governance rather than operational practice. While Upper Hutt City Council provided detailed information about the products being used, where they are applied, and how frequently many applications occur, the council advised that it does not hold information identifying a specific herbicide-use policy or information showing when the current approach was last formally reviewed.
While contractors operate under a range of legislative and regulatory requirements, the response leaves some uncertainty about what council-specific governance documents, if any, guide herbicide use across public spaces. Given the range of locations where herbicides are used—including parks, playgrounds, sports fields, roadsides, tracks, gardens, stream environments, and pest plant management programmes—some readers may regard the absence of identifiable policy and review information as one of the more significant findings of the response.
Another interesting detail is the council’s acknowledgement that some pest plant spray records were unavailable at the time of the request due to contractor availability. While additional information may become available later, the response leaves some uncertainty regarding the frequency and extent of those particular spraying activities.
The later follow-up from the roading team helped improve the completeness of the response by providing spray cycle information that was not available in the initial release.
Why This Matters
Councils manage many of the public spaces that residents use every day, including parks, playgrounds, sports fields, roadsides, tracks, and gardens.
Understanding what herbicides are being used, where they are applied, how frequently they are used, and what oversight arrangements are in place helps support informed public discussion about vegetation management in shared spaces.
The Council Herbicide Transparency Project aims to build a nationwide public record of herbicide management practices across New Zealand councils so that residents can better understand how these decisions are made within their own communities.
Information Request Details
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| LGOIMA Reference | 2155 |
| Request Submitted | 5 May 2026 |
| Clarification Request | 11 May 2026 |
| Initial Response Received | 3 June 2026 |
| Additional Information Received | 9 June 2026 |
| Information Current As Supplied | 3–9 June 2026 |
Information current as supplied under LGOIMA on 3–9 June 2026.
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