(NaturalNews) Many of us seek solace in nature, trying to quiet and recharge our minds after a busy day at work. With 80 percent of the population residing in urban areas, city parks are often the nearest refuge for enjoying nature. Among the tall trees and rose-colored flowers, what you may not expect to find is a sheen of toxic chemicals, quietly lingering in your pathway.

In the U.S., many city parks departments are spraying Roundup in public areas, failing to provide any forewarning. Playgrounds, hike and bike trails and campgrounds are included in these areas, which are frequented by families, young children and pets.

Using Roundup to treat pests or weeds is problematic, based on the mounting research linking the pesticide to dozens of health complications, including Alzheimer's disease, non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma and even autism.

It was recently reported that New York's Park Department sprayed Monsanto's Roundup on public greenspaces more than 1,300 times in 2013, in attempts to eliminate weeds harboring rats, according to DNAinfo New York. The city says it posts warning signs for 24 hours before and after spraying; however, many feel the warnings are inadequate.

City sprays Roundup near playgrounds to eliminate rat infestations

"In order to keep rats out of the playgrounds and meadow areas, we must use Roundup," said Parks Department spokesman Phi Abramson. "It is not used inside playgrounds but is often used on little-used slopes outside playgrounds precisely because overgrown weeds near playgrounds harbor rats."

The city's use of Roundup increased by 22 percent between 2012 and 2013, reportedly due to the phase-out of other, more toxic weed-killing chemicals, according to the New York State Health Department.

A recent study linking Roundup's active ingredient (glyphosate) to lymphoma raised a red flag, with some experts calling the study "very authoritative." Dr. Philip Landrigan, a professor of pediatrics at Mount Sinai, believes the city should reconsider its use of Roundup.