Why are pesticides used in towns and cities?

Pesticides (usually herbicides) are used by councils and other land managers (such as universities and schools) to clear roads, pavements, playgrounds and other urban spaces of unwanted plant growth. 

While some of the pesticides used in urban spaces are targeted at protecting infrastructure or ensuring that pavements remain accessible to residents, the vast majority are used solely for cosmetic reasons. We are risking the health of humans and wildlife just to keep places looking ‘neat and tidy’.