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.
Palmerston North City Council confirmed that both its Parks and Transport teams use herbicides in public spaces, including glyphosate, glufosinate-ammonium, triclopyr and haloxyfop. The council also reported using natural or glyphosate-free weed control products where a non-glyphosate option is preferred or considered appropriate.
The council described its herbicide use as targeted rather than blanket application, with treatment generally undertaken as required rather than according to a single fixed spraying frequency. It also identified a 2025 review of its approach to herbicide use, undertaken as part of developing the draft General Policy Reserve Management Plan for public consultation.
Quick Summary
| Item | Response |
|---|---|
| Glyphosate-based herbicides used? | Yes |
| Other herbicides used? | Yes – glufosinate-ammonium, triclopyr and haloxyfop |
| Alternative products used? | Yes – natural/glyphosate-free products |
| Product list supplied? | Active ingredients/product types supplied; specific commercial products not identified |
| Herbicide policy supplied? | Relevant provisions from a draft policy quoted in the response |
| SOP supplied? | No |
| Application locations identified? | Yes |
| Application frequency explained? | Yes – generally as required |
| Public notification mentioned? | Yes – draft policy provides for signage when chemical spraying is occurring |
| Chemically sensitive register? | Not mentioned |
| Formal review identified? | Yes – 2025 |
| Supporting documents supplied? | No separate supporting documents identified in the response |
What We Learned
Palmerston North City Council said its Parks and Transport teams use several different herbicides depending on the weed species, location and operational need.
Glyphosate is used for broad-spectrum control of annual and perennial weeds and is commonly used on pathways, fence lines and garden edges.
Glufosinate-ammonium is used as a contact herbicide and as an alternative to glyphosate where appropriate. Triclopyr is used for broadleaf weed control, including in turf and lawn situations where retaining grass is required, while haloxyfop is used to control grasses, including around broadleaf plants and native plantings.
The council also reported using natural or glyphosate-free weed control products where these are preferred or appropriate. It specifically identified sensitive public-use areas such as playgrounds in this context.
The council said herbicide use is targeted rather than blanket applied.
It also stated that chemical use is expected to be undertaken by suitably trained staff or contractors in accordance with HSNO codes of practice, relevant legal requirements and council requirements. Records are expected to include the product used, application rate, location, date, weather conditions and operator.
Products Identified
The council identified herbicide types and active ingredients rather than specific commercial product names.
| Product / Active Ingredient | Type / Active Ingredient | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Glyphosate | Glyphosate | Broad-spectrum control of annual and perennial weeds; commonly used on pathways, fence lines and garden edges |
| Glufosinate-ammonium | Glufosinate-ammonium | Contact herbicide used as an alternative to glyphosate where appropriate |
| Triclopyr | Triclopyr | Used for broadleaf weeds, including turf and lawns where grass retention is required |
| Haloxyfop | Haloxyfop | Used for grass control, including around broadleaf plants and native plantings |
| Natural / glyphosate-free weed control products | Not specified | Used where a non-glyphosate option is preferred or appropriate, including sensitive public-use areas such as playgrounds |
No commercial product names were provided in the response.
Application Locations and Frequency
Palmerston North City Council identified a range of locations where herbicides may be used, including:
- parks and reserves;
- garden edges and amenity planting areas;
- paths and hard-surface edges;
- fence lines;
- lawns and turf where broadleaf weed control is required;
- native planting areas where grass competition needs to be controlled;
- pest plant control areas, including areas containing woody weeds and gorse;
- road edges; and
- reserve and remote park environments covered by the Parks contract area.
For remote reserve areas, the council said herbicide use forms part of targeted pest plant and weed control work. Its response referred to activities including gorse spraying, road-edge and weed spraying, hand removal and work involving tree stumps.
There is no single spraying frequency across all sites.
According to the council, treatment frequency varies according to location, weed species, season, growth rates, weather and the level of public use. Treatments are generally undertaken as required as part of routine parks maintenance.
Policies and Guidance
When asked what policies or guidelines govern herbicide use in public spaces, the council referred to its response concerning the most recent formal review.
Palmerston North City Council said its approach was last reviewed in 2025, when provisions relating to pesticides and hazardous chemicals were included in the draft General Policy Reserve Management Plan for public consultation.
Section 22 of the draft plan, Pesticides and Hazardous Chemicals, set out an intention to manage pests sustainably, support biodiversity and minimise the use of hazardous chemicals.
Under draft Policy 22.1, the council proposed minimising harm from chemicals by:
- following HSNO codes of practice for the storage and use of hazardous substances;
- not spraying herbicides near children’s playgrounds;
- continuing to limit chemical use to occasions where other pest-control methods are not practical;
- using signage to warn the public when chemical spraying is taking place; and
- continuing to trial new chemicals and alternative pest-control approaches as they become available.
It is important to note that the material supplied to No More Glyphosate NZ describes these provisions as part of a draft plan that was put out for public consultation. The LGOIMA response did not state that the quoted provisions represented an adopted final policy.
Separately, the council said all chemical use is expected to comply with HSNO codes of practice, relevant legal requirements and council requirements.
Public Notification and Chemically Sensitive Residents
Public notification was addressed in the draft General Policy Reserve Management Plan.
Draft Policy 22.1 provided for signage warning the public when chemical spraying is taking place.
The draft policy also stated that herbicides would not be sprayed near children’s playgrounds. In its description of products currently used, the council separately said natural or glyphosate-free weed control products may be used in sensitive public-use areas such as playgrounds.
The response did not mention a chemically sensitive residents register or no-spray register.
Review History
Palmerston North City Council identified 2025 as the last time its approach to herbicide use in public spaces was formally reviewed.
This occurred in connection with the development of the draft General Policy Reserve Management Plan and its release for public consultation.
The pesticide and hazardous chemicals provisions included in that draft proposed limiting chemical use where other control methods were practical, avoiding herbicide spraying near children’s playgrounds, warning the public when spraying was occurring, and continuing to trial alternative approaches.
Documents Provided
No separate policy, Standard Operating Procedure, contractor specification or other supporting document was identified as having been supplied with the LGOIMA response.
However, the council reproduced the relevant provisions of Section 22 – Pesticides and Hazardous Chemicals from its draft General Policy Reserve Management Plan within its response.
Observations
Palmerston North City Council provided relatively detailed information about both the types of herbicides being used and the situations in which different active ingredients are selected.
Of particular note is the council’s statement that herbicide treatment is targeted rather than blanket applied and that there is no single fixed application frequency across all sites.
The response also identifies the use of natural or glyphosate-free products where a non-glyphosate option is preferred or appropriate, including sensitive public-use areas such as playgrounds. Separately, the draft policy proposed that herbicides would not be sprayed near children’s playgrounds.
The 2025 review provides some information about the direction of council policy. The draft provisions contemplated limiting chemical use where other methods are practical, not spraying herbicides near children’s playgrounds, public signage during spraying and continued trials of alternatives.
However, the information supplied does not establish whether those draft provisions were subsequently adopted unchanged. For transparency purposes, they should therefore be regarded as the council’s draft policy position at the time of consultation, rather than being presented as its confirmed final policy.
Why This Matters
Councils manage a wide range of public spaces on behalf of their communities. Understanding what products are being used, where they are applied, and how decisions are made helps contribute to greater transparency around weed management in public areas.
The Council Transparency Project aims to build a nationwide public record of herbicide management practices across New Zealand local authorities so residents can better understand what is happening in their own communities.
Information Request Details
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| LGOIMA Reference | SRC0429850 |
| Request Submitted | 5 May 2026 |
| Response Received | 21 May 2026 |
| Information Current | As supplied under LGOIMA on 21 May 2026 |
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