There has been a steady trickle of enquiries this quarter. Most of these have come from rural residents or visitors (one unfortunate visitor got a mouthful of fungicide whilst out cycling with a friend) and one from a farm worker. There have been two enquiries concerning creosote, despite the fact that it has been banned from domestic use since 2003. Though no longer on sale, it seems that some people are still using up supplies left in their garden sheds, presumably unaware of the ban and the hazards associated with creosote. If neighbours fall into this category it may be worth approaching them directly – they may simply be unaware that the law has changed – and directing them to PAN UK’s factsheet on least toxic wood treatments, available from the office, or from the website: www.pan-uk.org/pestnews/homepest/timber.htm
And of course any old supplies need to be disposed of safely: www.pesticidedisposal.org has details of local disposal facilities. Failing a direct approach, it can be very difficult to find a resolution to this problem, though in theory the Health and Safety Executive have powers to investigate incidents of this kind.
An unusual enquiry came from a man who discovered that his house was built on land previously owned by MAFF, the ministry for agriculture, fisheries and food (now replaced by DEFRA). It had been the site of a horticultural research station, where research into pesticides was carried out.
PAN UK made enquiries through the Central Science Laboratory (CSL) and obtained a list, three pages long, of pesticides tested there between 1958 and 1989 when the station closed. There were some highly toxic substances on the list, including parathion, methyl bromide and benlate. Most of the chemicals tested will have long since broken down in the soil. However, there is one mention of DDT, and one of HCH (which is very similar chemically to Lindane.) Both are very persistent chemicals, and both have been linked with cancer in studies. A recent study on DDT suggested a link between exposure in childhood and adolescence (e.g. through treatment for lice) and an increased risk of breast cancer in later life.
Because DDT is so long-lived, and easily dispersed, there is a ‘background’ level of DDT everywhere in the environment, and in our bodies. Whilst the discovery that it was used on one’s home territory is naturally unwelcome, there is not necessarily a significantly higher level here than elsewhere in the UK. If the householder wanted to be sure, the only way is through costly soil testing. |
