Sheffield Council is set to trial an initiative giving communities the chance to nominate their streets to be chemical free as they pledge to continue using a mix of weed treatments and street cleaning to tackle weeds in 2027.

The Council’s Environmental Services and Regulation Policy Committee discussed the topic during a meeting on Friday. 1,605 litres of glyphosate have been used so far on Sheffield’s highways during 2026, in comparison to 4,865 litres during the entirety of 2025.

Councillor Mark Rusling, Chair of the Environmental Services and Regulation Policy Committee, said: “Our new Chemical Free Streets trial will give communities who want to try a different approach the opportunity to put themselves forward, while making sure that safety and accessibility remain our priority.

“We will also continue to look at new technology and alternatives to glyphosate so we can keep reducing its use while maintaining the standards people rightly expect from their streets.”

Glyphostate is a widely-used herbicide used to kill weeds across both personal gardens and larger urban areas. The use of the chemical is controversial due to its environmental damage and health risks – in low concentrations it can cause damage to the kidneys, skin cells and liver, and can contribute to long-term health conditions such as cancer and infertility. (source: Pesticide Action Network UK)

During the new trial, 20 streets in Sheffield will be able to progress to consultation. In order to qualify, at least two-thirds of households responding to the consultation must be in favour, with at least 50% of households on the street taking part.

Residents on streets taking part will be encouraged to tackle weeds themselves. The trial will run for 12 months, with street submissions open to communities and councillors until 31 January 2027.

This news comes following the launch and progress of the No Glyphostate Sheffield campaign, a community-led initative raising awareness about the dangers of glyphostate and campaigning for the council to launch the chemical free street initiative.

The campaign group praised the start of the initiative on social media, but said that it’s “not enough.”