AN environmental activist has criticised the use of a controversial chemical to rid Brent's streets of weeds.

Shahrar Ali, Brent Green Party spokesman for the environment, said the use of the chemical Glyphosate to kill weeds could put the safety of residents at risk.

He said: “It is still a controversial chemical so to be putting it on to the streets, I think this is reckless.

“For this chemical, there are still investigations in the European Union whether or not it could be allowed because there are cases where it could be causing harm to human health.

“The controversy goes on, so should Brent be using this instead of manual weeding? I don't think so.”

Brent Council announced last week it had decided to scrap weeding by hand in favour of spraying the chemical, which it said would be more efficient and better for the environment.

The council say Glyphosate, first developed in the USA in the 1970s, will target only the weeds, and poses no risk of contaminating water supplies.

The chemical was originally the main component of hugely popular pesticide Round-up, sold by the firm Monsanto.

However, it has come under attack from environmental groups and some scientists, who say it poses a risk to human health, but Monsanto have consistently and vehemently denied the accusations.

Mr Ali added that he does not believe the manual weeding was being done enough, which is why the council has decided to switch to chemicals because it was being criticised by reisdents for the state of the streets.

He said: “The weeding wasn't being done last year, which was causing problems and embarrassment for the council.

“Using chemicals may be a cheaper way of doing it, but the cost to the earth has not been factored in.”

Councillor Daniel Brown, responsible for highways and transport, said: "Brent Council want to be cleaner, greener and safer and we believe that our approach this year to weeding will be both more effective and more sensitive to the environment."