In 1986, Sweden introduced a programme to
reduce the use of pesticides in agriculture, horticulture and forestry. The
initiative was driven by concern for the environment and the practical need to
reduce the cost of farming subsidies which had given rise to cereal
over-production. The enthusiasm and the public pressure for reduced pesticide
use has helped the programme to succeed. The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)
International has examined the wider policy implications of the Swedish
programme and its new report analyses recent developments.
The aim of the programme is to reduce the risks to human
health and to the environment from pesticides. The original target to reduce the
use of pesticides by 50% (by weight) by 1990 compared with the average during
the period 1980-1985 (see PN 14 pp12-13). In 1991, a total reduction of
47% by weight had been achieved. A second phase proposes a further reduction of
50% by the end of 1996. The final result will be a total reduction of 75% in
pesticide use. In addition, the percentage of farmers farming organically will
have increased significantly. The main activities of the reduction programme
have been:
a review of all pesticides in use by the National Chemicals Inspectorate, resulting in a number of pesticide bans, restrictions and withdrawals;
plans have been introduced for the phase-out of the EBDC group of fungicides, and for the fruit fungicides benomyl, folpet and captan;
improved measurements and statistics of pesticide use;
stricter regulations for protection zones around lakes and water courses;
the introduction of certification for certain classes of pesticides;
the use of lower dose rates and newer low-dose herbicides;
the implementation of voluntary testing of spray equipment;
an enlarged and co-ordinated research programme on reduced use of herbicides, control of pests and diseases and application techniques;
the establishment of five regional plant protection centres to improve pest and disease forecasting and conduct demonstration trials.
WWF International's challenge now is to encourage wider adoption of the policy lessons learned from the Swedish experience. This will require consensus among pesticide regulators, users and researchers concerning the problems to be solved. Improved data is needed so that better measurements of reduced use can be more usefully assessed.
The Pesticide Reduction Programme in
Sweden: Update, Research Report, WWF International, Avenue du Mont-Blanc,
CH-1196 Gland, Switzerland, Tel. +41 22 364 9111, Fax +41 22 364 5358, 1996,
16pp.
[This
article first appeared in Pesticides News No. 33, September 1996,
page 7]