124 05 25 – ‘cides (May 2025)

Date of Request

23/04/25

Request

Hello,

I would like to request the following:

  1. A list of all -cides used by the Service. This is inclusive of, but not limited to: any and all avicides, biocides, fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, pesticides, and rodenticides.
  2. The annual cost and volume of purchase of each of these -cides, broken down by -cide, from January 2014 to December 2024. Please list this on a spreadsheet (CSV), broken down by:
    1. -Cide
    2. Product Name
    3. Volume Purchased
    4. Price Paid
    5. Purchase Date
  3. A list of each of these -cides’ use, by volume. Through this I am trying to ascertain whether the purchased volume is matched by the used volume, so if there is a record of expired or unused -cides too, that would be ideal. Please add this to the above CSV as an additional column, also on an annual basis over the same time period. Please list volume in either litres or kilograms, whichever is more appropriate.
  4. Only if available and easily accessible, the location and purpose of each specific -cide’s use. For the former, this may be classified by: location grouping, address, coordinate, or otherwise.

If any of the individual pieces of information listed above are not available but others are, like cost and volume, then please signal this while responding with the other available information. Additionally, if records are only available for a time period less than that specified above, please provide these instead of rejecting the request as a whole.

If this request goes beyond time and cost restrictions, please respond with its time and cost estimate and recommendations to cut this down so that I can effectively follow up.

Best Regards

Response

Hi

We thank you for your request for information, which has been received by Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service (the Service) and considered under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2000

The Service can confirm that the information that you have requested is held and according to our COSHH databases, we do not have any -cides within HWFRS.

These would be provided, as required, by third party contractors ‘employed’ by property department for things such as rodent control, weedkilling etc.

If you have any questions regarding your request, please contact Information Governance and Committee Services on tel: 0345 122 4454 or by e-mail informationrequests@hwfire.org.uk. In any such communication please include the reference number assigned (see Subject).

Should you have any queries regarding the management of your request and wish to make either a complaint or request a review of the information disclosed to you, please do so by using Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service’s complaints system: Comments and Complaints. This must be done within 40 working days of our response to your request. After this date and in line with ICO guidance the Service is not obliged to provide an internal review of your request.

If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the internal review, you may appeal the decision by contacting the Information Commissioner, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, SK9 5AF, Tel: 0303 123 1113 (alternatively 01625 545745) or E-mail: casework@ico.org.uk.

Further information on Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service may be viewed at the Service’s website: www.hwfire.org.uk

Thank you for your request for information.

Kind regards

Information Governance Team