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Pesticide  Noticeboard

The UK government has no plans to introduce targets to reduce pesticide use 'across the board' (National Pesticide Strategy), although the forthcoming EU Directive "Sustainable Use of Pesticides will require this. Pesticides in food are monitored by Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs), which are not safety levels but are "indicators of good farming practice" - to allow free movement of trade.

Pesticide residues in food are now the reponsibility of the Food Standards Agency. Residues in food are measured in the UK by the Pesticides Residues Committee.

Other aspects of pesticide use (other than disposal) are controlled by Control of Pesticide Regulations (COPR) through the Pesticide Safety Directorate. The Advisory Committee on Pesticides advises the government on pesticide matters. The ACP determines approvals on the basis of only direct impacts of pesticides, whereas GM approval also includes indirect effects. See explanation of how ACP assesses the risks of pesticides.

Controls are now made by the EU. A pesticide (or 'active substance') cannot be used in any Member State unless it is part of Annex 1 of Directive 91/414. From July 2003 over 300 active substances have been withdrawn, 45 of which were in current UK use. Latest Pesticides are ultimately are covered by international regulations called CODEX. Codex is part of the UN FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme concerned with protecting the health of consumers and ensuring fair practices in the food trade. It encourages countries to harmonise their food laws and adopt internationally agreed standards.

There is a Royal Commission Environmental Pollution Report (Launch Sept 2005) investigated farm spraying and risks to neighbours - e.g should they have the right to know what is being sprayed on them. See Noticeboard (Left Hand Nav) for latest developments.