Archived press release

Pesticides in our food: latest Government figures

31 May 2001

The Government's Pesticide Residues Committee today published its quarterly monitoring report, for July to September 2000. The results make depressing reading for anyone who wants to buy food free of risky chemicals.

Results include:

• Cucumbers - 26% of Spanish cucumbers contained residues
  
  
• Lettuces - 56% of samples contained residues with multiple residues in 42%. Residues exceeding legal limits were found in 5 UK samples. Iprodione, a suspected hormone disrupter was found at levels exceeding legal limits.
  
  
• Plums - 23% contained residues.
  
  
• Pears - 62% of samples contained residues. Only 3 UK samples contained residues but only 7 UK samples were taken compared to 75 imported. Carbendazim - a suspected hormone disrupter was one of the most commonly found pesticides. Chlormequat was found commonly on imported pears and in one UK sample -although its use is not allowed in the UK.
  
  
• Milk and bacon were free of residues but most of the oily fish contained residues including DDT and dieldrin which are subject to widespread bans because of their health effects.

All the major supermarkets were found to be selling food with pesticide residues. Lettuce samples with levels of pesticides over legal limites were found in Asda, Co-op, Safeway,Somerfield and Morrisons stores. A sample of UK pears from Sainsburys was found to contain chlormequat - a pesticide not approved for use here. Friends of the Earth (FOE) wants all retailers to aim for zero residues in their food as well as prohibiting the use of the most dangerous pesticides including those with strong evidence of hormone disrupting effects.

FOE also wants Govt to take action to ensure that our food is pesticide free including the introduction of a pesticide tax and better support for farmers to convert to organic or to reduce their use of chemical inputs.

Commenting on the results, FOE Food Campaigner Sandra Bell said:

“Yet again dodgy pesticides have been found in our food - from our own farmers and abroad. Its not surprising that consumers are clamouring for organic food - which we have to import in large quantities. The Government must make sure that farmers in the UK get the support they need to produce pesticide free food - and it should increase its vigilance on imports - why should consumers be expected to eat imported food containing pesticides which are banned in the UK? Labour's manifesto promises an investigation into sustainable farming and food - we will be watching closely to make sure that they deliver on it after the Election.”

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust