Pesticide restriction in Scandinavia

Sweden and Denmark are set to restrict the use of pesticides in the non-agricultural sector.

The Danish Ministry of the Environment and Energy are so concerned about the use of pesticides in homes and gardens that they have banned many products as a result of new risk assessments. The Ministry has signed an agreement with local authorities to phase out the use of pesticides in public parks and gardens by 1st January 2003(1).
    The National Chemicals Inspectorate in Sweden are proposing to classify amateur use herbicides into a higher category. A change in classification would mean that anyone wanting to use herbicidal products for domestic use would have to apply for authorisation. Twenty-five products are to be re-classified including Roundup as glyphosate use has increased from a few hundred kilos at the end of the 1980s to more than 10 tonnes in 1999. The proposal is a contribution to attaining the goal of a non-toxic environment set by the committee on Environmental Objectives. The target is to prevent all traces of pesticides being detected in ground and surface water. Insecticide and fungicide products will not be included in the legislation expected to come into force from 2003(2).

1. The Danish Ministry of Environment and Energy, Højbro Plads 4, 1200 København K, Tel: +45 33 92 76 00, Fax: +45 33 32 22 27, E-mail: mem@mem.dk 
2. National Chemicals Inspectorate, Sweden. www.kemi.se/aktuellt/pressmedd/2000/200622_eng.htm

[This article first appeared in Pesticides News No.51, March 2001, p9]