VIDEO: RESIDENTS are being urged to put in official complaints to Warrington Borough Council following the alleged spraying of “toxic chemicals” on land at Peel Hall during nesting season.
Local resident Wendy Johnson-Taylor, who has been helping co-ordinate campaigns against the development of the land by Satnam developments, was out walking when she saw spraying taking place on the land, yesterday (Saturday).
She said: “I would urge local residents to complain to the council!
Drone footage also captured the spraying taking place, clearly showing nesting wildlife being disturbed.
Wendy said:”I stopped the driver and he told me he was using something similar to Roundup! If it is then the active chemical in it is under the spotlight because it may be carcinogenic to humans. Wind speed approx 37 miles an hour so anything or anyone down wind of it would get it ! Poor birds an wildlife too!
“Surely this MUST be illegal during nesting season!? Get on the phone and put a complaint in first thing on Tuesday folks!!”
She added: “Today we witnessed Peel Hall’s heart, its wildlife, being destroyed before our very eyes,what was sprayed today will have a big impact on our local wildlife. This has to stop now!”
Another local campainger Ste Dodd posted a warning on social media saying: ” Once again Satnam employs a mercenary to do its dirty work. In this brief video we can clearly see a bird flee the machinery, she waited till the last moment to take flight strongly suggesting she was protecting eggs or even a brood.
“This was not an isolated incident.Eyes on the ground say it was happening all around the machinery.
He added: “Peel Hall has not been used for agricultural purposes for many years so employing the contractor to undertake this work has no value agriculturally, it was clearly carried out to decimate the wildlife.
In February residents were celebrating after Warrington Borough Coucnil’s planning committee refused an application to build 1,200 houses on the land.
Drone footage courtesy Chris Digata
26 Comments
Absolutely disgraceful! These morons think they can get away with anything!
People need to get their complaints in – not just to the council but to the animal welfare societies etc. etc. etc.
Well Done! to Wendy and all the other campaigners for standing up to these bullies!
So not content with ploughing up saplings and other habitat last year as they have done in years gone by they are resulting to other methods! Outrageous.
Why dont they just leave peel hall alone and let it be the natural habitat its supposed to be discusting should nit be allowed
I have tweeted the police with a link to the story and a note via their web site saying “I’ve sent a tweet but in case it doesn’t get through can you please send today’s link on Warrington Worldwide about Peel Hall Farm spraying concerns to the Wildlife Crime Officer
http://www.warrington-worldwide.co.uk/2017/04/16/peel-hall-residents-outraged-by-toxic-chemical-spraying/#comment-198485
I did speak to him last year when local people raised concerns about the uprooting of habitat and saplings on the land during the breeding season.
Kind regards
Geoff Settle
Chair of Warrington Nature Conservation Forum”
Thank you Geoff for supporting our campaign. It was very upsetting to watch all the birds flying away from the spray and machinery. The wildlife on Peel Hall and its surrounding area is very precious and we are doing our best to save it! Thank you
Our Wildlife Officer will pick this up – I reported the previous incidents to him last June when the habitat was being ploughed up.
the spraying of Roundup or similar is not illegal, good luck complaining to the council, they do the same themselves.
It’s been sprayed out of season on to ground nesting birds. The application at this time of year has absolutely no agricultural value on land not used for agriculture in decades.
Based on these facts – what conclusion would you honestly draw?
Oh! and it doesn’t decimate wildlife either. Where do you get your facts from?
Togger dear you really haven’t been keeping up to speed on this have you? Please look at a link we posted from National Geographic which states “What do we really know about Roundup Weedkiler?”
It goes on …. “The world’s most widely-used herbicide is getting a lot of attention lately…. Oh and it goes on to state that an international agency has declared glyphosate, the primary ingredient in the popular product Roundup is a probable HUMAN CARCINOGEN! Now then feel free to reply. We were down wind of this yesterday and some of us felt quite ill, probably not as much as that poor nesting bird though! Poor thing. We love our local wildlife and this has enraged us all. It’s not the first time this has happened and we will not stand by and witness what we have on our doorstep being destroyed! Thank you for your comments thou Togger but you are in a minority supporting such an UNFORGIVABLE act! I suggest you go away now and research more ………
Wendy, first of all I haven’t supported the application of the Roundup, I have merely pointed out that it is completely legal for them to do so. You are selective in your choice of reports to garner your informstion from as another report finds that Roundup has no carcegenic causing effects, both from the same authority. Tell me this, is it illegal to apply this herbicide? Also it is not harmful to wildlife, even you. Now the poor nesting ( guess) bird, are we to ban all tractors from driving on their own land just in case a bird is nesting, well if we do there won’t be much in the way of food will there? Lastly, I don’t need your permission nor condescending invite to reply.
I did however take your advice and researched more, seems the EFSA, the BfA, the EPA and many other organisations have found Roundup to be not carcegenic, but what do they know?
The spraying of roundup is not illegal. Peel Hall IS classed as agricultural land so it is acceptable in normal circumstances to use in such areas.however Peel Hall has not been used for agriculture for decades! Round Up
is usually used in late winter early spring then they plough the land, this is the common practice.farmers are quite entitled to drive tractors over their own land and apply legal herbicides/pesticides on agricultural land. This act of spraying during nesting season was a calculated decision by Satnam to decimate the abundant wildlife in the area.
Todger you claim wildlife is not affected by roundup is solely the point of view of the people who make it and use it for profit.it is extremely harmful to wildlife and people alike.the wind speed during spraying was unacceptable especially given its proximity to highly populated areas and was recorded digitally during the spraying.many birds suffered including Pheasant, lapwing ,snipe,reed buntings, white throat, Dunnock,wrens,Skylarks.Partridge and many more it takes away their ability to eat and then destroys their food source,once the fields flora has been cleared by the process it then affects all the wildlife living on its borders,it poisons and taints the water source.i have ordered a pint of the offending substance and invite you to drink it to prove your point that it is safe?
Claims that Roundup is safe are misleading. Independent studies show that glyphosate, the presumed active ingredient of Roundup, is toxic. Commercial glyphosate herbicide formulations contain extra added ingredients (adjuvants) and are more toxic than glyphosate alone.
Toxic effects of glyphosate and Roundup include disruption of hormonal systems and beneficial gut bacteria, damage to DNA, developmental and reproductive toxicity, birth defects, cancer, and neurotoxicity.
Roundup and other glyphosate herbicide formulations have never been tested or assessed for long-term safety for regulatory purposes. Only glyphosate alone was tested. Even the industry tests on glyphosate alone revealed toxic effects, including malformations.
The endocrine disruptive effects of glyphosate and Roundup are most worrying, as they manifest at very low doses and can lead to ill health when exposure takes place over long periods of time.
The GMO industry claims that glyphosate is non-toxic to animals and humans because they lack the shikimate biochemical pathway present in plants. This is false, as glyphosate also affects other pathways that are present in animals and humans.
Claims that the Roundup used on GM Roundup Ready crops replaces more toxic herbicides are misleading. The toxicity of Roundup and glyphosate has been underestimated, and the failure of Roundup Ready technology due to resistant weeds has resulted in farmers using mixtures of herbicides to control weeds. The industry has responded by developing GM crops that tolerate other, potentially even more toxic herbicides, such as 2,4-D, an ingredient of Agent Orange.
so as I said, perfectly legal and above board, all the rest is simply hyperbole.
Have you any evidence that the very impressive list of wild birds were actually affected by this application of herbicide? You know, that sort of evidence that would stand up in a court? You don’t do you? You are simply listing bird species as an attempt to tug at heartstrings. The land owners acted perfectly legally despite your claims, this herbicide is legal, it is probably the most tested herbicide ever and to have a former mayor and member of Warrington Council report it as a crime to the police and brag about such an action is indefensible. I have no axe to grind with the owners of the land nor the local folk who are being terrified by your scare tactics, I do however, like things to be factual when such serious allegations are being bandied about.
Haha you’re about to get set straight – wait for the bomb to drop sun shine 👍
The list of birds are recorded as resident nesting birds in Peel Hall they have not just been plucked out of the air.the affected list is far greater than in my last statement.I stand behind my real name as does the former Mayor and former member of WBC. can you? if not troll somewhere else. the invitation is still open?
There would seem to be a number scholarly papers that condem or condone Roundup in equal measure. A bit like the narrative on the possible somatic effects of low doses of radiation. For every expert who says one thing there are a couple more who will argue otherwise. A few other papers suggest it is the so called “inert” elements in Roundup that are harmful rather than the glyphosphate itself. Given the present situation, I doubt what has taken place is a Police matter, they would need more compelling evidence of wrong doing before they became involved, regardless of who called them.
Roundup is legal, I fail to see the issue in this. Good for you for using your real name Set Dodd, admirable. I do not contest that the list of bird species you trotted out exist and maybe they do all reside in the treated field but that isn’t what I questioned. Have you any evidence that any of them were harmed. You and Wendy and Geoff clearly have an agenda and a history with the landowners which probably makes you see a crime when none has been committed, and going all Bill Oddy doesn’t cut the cloth. I have the right to a pseudonym as does everybody else ( there are some weird folk in here) and disagreeing with you , despite your clear self importance, does not make me a troll, especially when I am right.
Positron. Your point is fair but with respect to wrong doing I’d have to debate. Spraying out of season on a BH weekend (no one available to action any concerns) when the forecast was rain. Does that sound like standard agricultural practice?
How about ripping up trees with roosting bats in the middle of the night??
The developer in constantly pushing the boundaries and seemingly getting away with it.
Can you at least understand our frustration??
And Togger – before you pipe up, yes we can prove it!
ps. is that your bomb? bit of a damp squib really.
My comments only applied to spraying Roundup. They do not apply to the destruction of bat roosts, which is an illegal act if carried out by unregistered persons. Whatever time Satnam, or whoever, chooses to spray on land they own (?) provided the sprayed liquid is legally used, is their business, provided the manner of spraying is properly controlled. Whether it is standard agricultural practice, is irrelevant. Their actions may cause others justifiable concern for a number of reasons, but they do not justify Police involvement. The council environmental people, perhaps, but not the Police. I understand your frustration, but again being frustrated by someone’s legal actions is not a crime.
Jon, show me the corpses lol so as well as applying a completely legal herbicide you are claiming that the ripped up trees with bats roosting in them at the BH weekend? nothing to see here folks , go about your business.
Togger – I’m talking historically now and if you had any knowledge or interest in the subject of Peel Hall then you would know the level you f destruction that has been brought about, and yes to a degree illegally.
I’m off to enjoy the remainder of my weekend now instead of trying to justify myself to luxuries looking for arguments in front of a PC. As you stated above, we are full of our own importance – if that means caring about the area we live in then your damn right………again!
So, if this stuff is a weedkiller, all that should be left growing in a couple of weeks would be, er, grass, right?
Oh…
https://www.roundup-garden.com/faqs/will-it-kill-grass
Sounds more like a defoliant than a weedkiller.
What Satnam have done may be completely legal, but it’s the habitual way he approaches such things that invite the suspicion that it may not be entirely above board.
The timing – smack in the middle of the longest bank holiday weekend of the year, not easy to get a quick response from any council officials, environmental or otherwise.
The execution – around 80 hectares treated in a couple of hours, it’s all over before anyone can do anything to stop it if it’s illegal. This is how land traders and developers get around things like tree preservation orders, do the crime and pay the fine.
Then there’s guidance of use: it’s one thing to spray your garden with this stuff and yet another to use it on this scale on open land when it’s a bit breezy.
https://www.roundup-garden.com/faqs/can-i-apply-roundup-products-if-its-windy
Anyone who thinks it’s ok to spray this stuff directly on to nesting birds at this time of year is a twunt.
Or a criminal.
if you actually watch the footage you can see a bird being hit in the long grass, that bird could of well been nesting. never mind what the spray could do to wildlife and humans as in my opinion it was too windy that day