The National Household Hazardous Waste Forum and Pesticide
Action Network UK held a seminar ‘Garden Pesticides – Hazards, Disposal and
Alternatives’,(1) on 2 March, hosted by Lichfield Borough Council. Seven
garden pesticides were withdrawn from the market in 2003 and an additional three
(atrazine, simazine and paraquat(2)) are scheduled for withdrawal over the next
couple of years. With the vast majority of householders unaware of safe disposal
routes, and many local authorities lacking safe disposal facilities, the seminar
provided a timely forum to consider the thorny issue of disposal.
Key initiatives being undertaken to tackle the problem of
amateur pesticide waste were outlined by David Ward from Hampshire County
Council and Roslyn McKendry of PAN UK. Hampshire County Council have
recently installed facilities for disposal of amateur pesticide waste at many of
their household waste recycling centres (described above) and have been
proactive in advertising the new facilities to their residents. Roslyn McKendry
described a new website (www.pesticidedisposal.org)
set up to allow residents of England, Scotland or Wales to locate their nearest
pesticide disposal facility (see above). In addition, she described work
undertaken with the London Borough of Brent to encourage Brent residents to use
less pesticides in their homes and gardens.
As a result of the seminar DEFRA initiated an informal
working group to discuss the issue of amateur pesticide waste and ways to
improve current facilities. Further details of speakers and presentations are
available at http://www.nhhwf.org.uk/pages/events.htm.
1. Garden Pesticides – Hazards, Disposal and
Alternatives, 2 March, 2004, Lichfield Civic Centre.
2. From 1 November 2004 knapsack and handheld applications of paraquat in home
gardening will not be allowed, Commission Directive 2003/112/EC of 1 December
2003 amending Council Directive 91/414/EEC to include paraquat as an active
substance.
[This article first appeared in Pesticides News No. 64, June 2004, page 22]