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GOVERNMENT GETS POOR MARKS FOR SCHOOL FRUIT SCHEME

23 Oct 2002

Friends of the Earth today called on the Government to ensure fruit used in the National School Fruit Scheme is pesticide-free after figures released by the Department of Health (www.pesticides.gov.uk) revealed that the majority of fruit provided through the scheme between January and March contained pesticide residues [1]. The results cover four types of fruit (apples, bananas, citrus and pears) - almost all of which were imported.

The National School Fruit Scheme was set up to encourage children to eat more fruit, and is strongly supported by Friends of the Earth. But the Department of Health is undermining the benefits of a healthy diet by giving children fruit containing potentially risky pesticides. Children are more vulnerable to the effects of pesticides because their bodies are still developing. They also tend to be exposed to more pesticides than adults [2].

Friends of the Earth also criticised the Fruit Scheme for:

• relying on imported produce rather than supporting British apple and pear growers. Between January and March for example British apples, pears and carrots would be available.
• not buying bananas with a Fair Trade certification. Fair Trade labels guarantee that the producer gets a fair price plus a premium for investing in making social and environmental improvements, including reduced pesticide use.
  

Friends of the Earth food campaigner Sandra Bell said:
“The Government really must do better with its National School Fruit Scheme. It is exposing children to risky pesticides when it is supposed to be giving them a healthy start in life. Why can’t the scheme provide fruit that is pesticide free? It should also be using the scheme to support British fruit growers, rather than relying on imports. And it should be using Fair Trade bananas. By buying the cheapest, the Government is supporting the exploitation of banana growers in the developing world.”

Notes

[1]    Key findings from the pesticides report include:

• Carbendazim was the most commonly found residue in both apples (6 out of 10 samples) and pears (10 out of 17 samples). This pesticide is a suspected hormone disrupter.
• The most common residue (found in 9 out of 15 samples) in bananas was imazalil which is described by the US Environmental Protection Agency as “Likely to be carcinogenic in humans”.
• Most of the samples (12 out of 13) of soft citrus also contained imazalil.
• Multiple residues were found in 6 out of 15 samples of bananas.
• Nearly half of the soft citrus samples contained chlorpyrifos, an organophosphate which has been severely restricted in the US due to concerns about children’s health. Chlorpyrifos was also found in apples, pears and bananas.

The National School Fruit Scheme is run by the Department of Health and aims by 2004 to provide every child aged 4 to 6 with a free piece of fruit each school day.

[2]     More information on the health risks of pesticides in our food from
         www.foe.co.uk/resource/briefings/mouths_babes.pdf

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