Pesticide Information

Europarl TV have just produced an interesting TV report, debating Europe’s pesticides and legislation.

Aspects of UK pesticides policy in the UK will require reconsideration after Mr Justice Collins allowed an application in the High Court from campaigner Georgina Downs for a review of current policy. She has argued that exposure to crop chemicals caused illness.

Those who claim that reports like that by the UK Pesticides Safety Directorate (PSD) exaggerate the likely impact of proposed changes to EU pesticides legislation often point to the existence of a derogation in the Council’s common position. This would allow the continued use for up to five years of pesticides that would otherwise be banned, if there are no alternatives available. In other words, the impact is postponed and notionally it would allow the development and registration of new products, except that this process normally takes more than five years.