The Danish Environment Ministry is adopting a strict stance on its assessment of pesticides, has banned seven active ingredients in line with the government's reduction policy. The seven are:
Atrazine (triazine herbicide) which is widely found in ground water.
Cyanazine (triazine herbicide) is thought to have a detrimental effect on the environment, with impact on aquatic ecosystems and certain ground insects.
Hexazione (triazine herbicide) has a degradation time for more than 90% of the substance of over a year, and there is a worry over its impact on aquatic ecosystems.
Lindane (organochlorine insecticide) has a half-life in the environment of between 42 and 980 days; it is volatile and can migrate from areas of use; it is particularly toxic to birds; and it can accumulate in the food chain.
Propachlor residues cause concern in ground water and water ecosystems.
Paraquat has a half-life in the environment of between six and 20 years, and there are alleged deaths of hares and rabbits which may have been in or eaten grass sprayed with paraquat.
Thiabendazole has a half-life
in the environment of between 18 and 24 months. It has an adverse impact on
earthworms and the aquatic ecosystem.
Unusually, the legislation suggests
alternative pesticides and pest control methods.
The action is a signal that the government is not satisfied
with the extent of pesticide control at the EU level—despite the powers in EU
Directive EEC 91/414.
The banning legislation came into force on 1 July, although
the sale and import can carry on until 1 December 1994 and use may continue
until 1 July 1995. However, the action may conflict with EU legislation—and
this is being examined by the European Commission.
The measure has been welcomed by the General Workers Union of
Denmark.
Jesper Lund-Larsen, General Workers
Union, Copenhagen, Denmark.
[This article first appeared in Pesticides News No. 25, September 1994, page 20]