Why We Choose Hand-Weeding for Laugharne: Protecting Our Local Environment

You may have noticed members of the Laugharne Citizen Science Group (LCSG) out on the streets recently, weeding our pavements and kerbs by hand. A few residents have asked why we are doing this ourselves, especially since we all pay council rates for local maintenance. It is a completely fair question, and as a group, we want to share exactly why we have taken on this project.

Our main goal as LCSG is to protect Laugharne from the chemical spraying of Nomix Dual, a powerful industrial herbicide used for weed control. While it is highly efficient for councils, Nomix Dual contains glyphosate and sulfosulfuron, chemical agents designed to kill plants and prevent new growth for up to six months.

While the council uses our rates to pay for standard maintenance, chemical spraying comes with hidden costs to our health and our local environment. As a sustainability group, we believe a hands-on approach is worth the effort for several key reasons:

• Protecting Our Wildlife and Waterways: Nomix Dual carries strict warnings because it is highly toxic to aquatic life with long-lasting effects. Given Laugharne's unique coastal geography, our proximity to the Taf Estuary, and our local streams, any chemical run-off from pavements and drains poses a direct threat to our marine life, birds, and delicate ecosystems.

• Safety for Families and Pets: Pavements are where residents walk dogs, push prams, and where children play. Hand-weeding eliminates the risk of pets tracking chemicals into homes or families coming into contact with chemical residues on the street.

• Preserving Our Historic Charm: Laugharne is a world-famous, historic township. Blanket chemical spraying often leaves behind long stretches of unsightly, scorched, orange-brown dead vegetation that stains the look of our historic streets for weeks. Hand-weeding keeps our areas looking tidy, cared for, and naturally beautiful.

Answering the "Rates" Argument

We completely agree that we pay our council rates to keep Laugharne maintained. However, the council’s standard, cost-effective method is chemical spraying. Because of labour costs and budget constraints, the council is unable to offer manual weeding as an alternative.

By stepping in to hand-weed, LCSG isn't trying to let the council "off the hook" or waste anyone's rates. Instead, we are working within the council's current framework. By taking responsibility for the physical weeding of these specific areas ourselves, we are able to request that the council bypasses them with their chemical sprayers. It is a practical compromise that allows us to safeguard our local environment while keeping the streets clean.

This project is entirely voluntary, driven by LCSG’s commitment to a healthier, chemical-free environment. We completely understand that this approach isn't for everyone, but for those who wish to support a more sustainable alternative, we always welcome extra hands and a pair of gloves!