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Pesticides
News No 58
The Journal of Pesticide Action Network UK
An international perspective on the health and
environmental effects of pesticides
Quarterly/December 2002
The pesticide challenge:
promoting safer pest management
This issue of Pesticides News contains papers presented at the PAN UK conference to promote safer pest management held in London on 26 November.
UK Minister pledges
pesticide reform 3
The PAN UK Pesticide Challenge Conference was launched by Environment
Minister Michael Meacher. He confirmed that a comparative assessment of
pesticide risks is not part of the current regulatory framework but the
government believes, in principle, that it should be. The challenge is to
consider the best way to achieve this.
PAN UK analyses new pest management
options 4
Many hazardous pesticides will disappear from the EU market in 2003. David
Buffin of PAN UK told the Conference that non-chemical replacements
need to be found which are safe for human health and the environment and that
are acceptable to consumers.
Eliminating pesticides through organic farming
6
Peter Melchett of the Soil Association argues for an integrated
approach that moves beyond assessing individual pesticides or pest control
strategies, to evaluating different agricultural systems.
A farmer’s view of safer alternatives
7
Being acutely conscious of consumer concerns is part of the producer’s
job, says David Gardner of Co-op’s Farmcare. An ambitious approach in
tackling pesticide hazards is needed.
Consumers demand residue-free food 8
People have had enough of pesticide contamination says
Sue Dibb of the National Consumer Council (NCC), and it is time
regulators took it seriously. New approaches to risk assessment are a step in
the right direction.
Removing pesticides from the food chain
9
Providing safe, wholesome food was one of the founding principles of the
Co-op movement some 150 years ago. Company policy-makers and managers believe
that new work on pesticides simply puts those principles into practice. David
Croft of the Co-op reports.
Beyond case-by-case assessment
11
Any new system needs to be practical and enforceable, says Sue Popple,
of the UK Pesticides Safety Directorate (PSD). But would a semi-regulatory
approach go far enough?
Europe moves to phase out old products 12
The principle of comparative assessment (CA) already exists in European
legislation – for biocides. Regulator Canice Nolan gives an overview of
its application to pesticides, and the potential for substituting least
hazardous products, at the European level.
Swedish experience of chemical substitution
14
In the last ten years, Swedish regulators have demonstrated their commitment to
reducing the risks of pesticide use, and have become pioneers in the use of
comparative assessment. Their aim is to avoid authorising or using a pesticide
of concern for which less risky substitutes are available. Peter Bergkvist
of the Swedish Chemicals Inspectorate (KEMI) reports.
African regulators
starved of resources 15
It is often not recognised that pesticide regulation in developed countries
has a massive impact on export countries in the South. Jonathan Ak’habuhaya
gives this vivid example from Tanzania.
UK growers need novel strategies 16
As the industry continues to lose key chemicals in its armoury for the
control of pests and pathogens there is a pressing need to secure alternative
strategies and products to ensure sustainable production in UK horticulture. Martin
McPherson reports.
Can biological control replace chemicals? 17
David Dent of CABI Bioscience argues that the answer to this question
is not a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ but a qualified ‘yes, but’ and ‘no,
except’. Biological and chemical agents are different.
Chemical news
Cocktail of denial 18
A long-awaited report, commissioned by the UK Food Standards Agency, on
risks from mixtures of chemicals in food and the environment has been published.
Its reassuring conclusions have already been confounded by a disturbing toxicity
study on 2,4-D. By Alison Craig.
Pollution
Atrazine water menace 19
Dramatic decreases in frog populations have been documented by wildlife
biologists for several decades. A new US field study provides compelling
evidence that the widely used herbicide atrazine is playing a significant role
in this decline. By Roslyn McKendry.
Organic cotton
Benin organic farmers ready to go 20
Organic cotton farmers in Benin are more than ready to scale up production and
supply significant volumes of organic cotton, but face constraints in developing
their market. Simon Ferrigno reports on farmers’ motivations, and on
the opportunities and constraints affecting the development of organic cotton
production.
Hazards 21
News 22