A new report from Friends of the Earth [1] has found that current voluntary measures to clean up pesticide pollution of water are not sufficient to protect the environment or reduce the massive cost of cleaning pesticides out of our drinking water supplies.

Recently released data from the Environment Agency data [2] shows that overall pesticide pollution levels went down last year, but the Agency acknowledges that this could be simply down to last year's dry autumn (2003) when less pesticides would have been washed into rivers. Friend's of the Earth's report also shows the influence of the weather in pesticide levels. By relating pollution levels to rainfall patterns, the report finds that where crop spraying was followed closely by heavy rainfall pollution incidents occurred.

Climate change forecasts [3] predict that British winters will get wetter, increasing the risk of pesticides being washed into water supplies. Friends of the Earth warns that the Government cannot be complacent about reducing pollution on the basis of just one year.

Water companies spend £120 million every year removing pesticides from drinking water to ensure it meets legal standards. While overall pollution levels were down last year, levels of herbicides were still found at levels breaching the EU Drinking water standard of 0.1?g/l. This means water companies were still required to spend money on cleaning water to reach the standard. In one catchment alone - the Cherwell - on 103 days one herbicide (IPU) exceeding this standard between October 03 and May 04.

Pesticides also pose a significant threat to aquatic biodiversity. The Government is currently aiming to reduce the levels of pesticide pollution and associated costs through the industry led "Voluntary Initiative" (VI) on pesticides. The VI was brought in as an alternative to a pesticides tax and it is expected that in tomorrow's pre-budget report the VI will be given another year to demonstrate that it is working. Friends of the Earth's report shows that although valuable lessons can be learned from the VI regulatory and financial measures from Government will also be needed.

Friends of the Earth Pesticides Campaigner Sandra Bell said:

"The Government cannot afford to rely on the pesticides industry or the British weather to tackle the serious problems caused by pesticides pollution in water. Even though last year showed an overall improvement, pollution incidents continued. British winters are forecast to get wetter, leaving no place for complacency.

"Farmers have shown they are willing to tackle water pollution caused by their use of pesticides but they can't do it alone. The Government needs to step in and ban the most polluting herbicides, find effective alternatives, and provide long term support to farmers in the form of free, independent advice on the farm - it could fund this via a pesticides tax"

Friends of the Earth's report analysed the progress of Voluntary Initiative projects to reduce pesticide pollution incidents in six water catchment areas. The projects have worked with local farmers encouraging them to improve their practice in filling and cleaning sprayer equipment and to avoid spraying crops when wet weather is forecast.

Findings of the Friends of the Earth report include:

Drier weather may have helped reduce pollution levels in autumn 2003 but dry weather cannot be relied on. Farmers participating in the project are advised not to use the herbicide IPU if field drains are expected to run during the following 14 days. IPU is one of the most common water pollutants. More general advice says that farmers shouldn't spray if rain is forecast in the next three days. But the report found that the typical wet British winter makes it virtually impossible for a farmer to follow this advice. The majority of dry periods in the project catchments were less than 3 days in duration.

Friends of the Earth has concluded that some of the herbicides commonly found in water such as IPU are so mobile that the only effective way to stop pollution incidents would be to ban this herbicide and ensure that an effective alternative is available to farmers. Thames Water recently reached a similar conclusion and is calling for a ban on IPU [4]. The environmental group also wants the Government to put more funding into initiatives to help farmers reduce their overall reliance on pesticides. The VI has demonstrated the need for direct contact with individual farmers. A tax on pesticides could fund a new independent advisory service for farmers providing experts who will visit farms to provide advice on a wide range of sustainable farming practices.

Notes:

[1] A briefing summarising the findings of the report can be found at www.foe.co.uk/resource/briefings/the_voluntary_initiative_c.pdf

[2] Environment Agency press release 221/04

[3] Julme, M, Jenkins, G, J, Lu, X, Turnpenny, J, R, Mitchell, T, D, Jones, R, G, Lowe, J, Murphy, J, M, Hassell, D, Boorman, P, McDonald, R and Hill, S (2002) Climate Change Scenarios for the United Kingdom: The UKCIP02 Scientific Report, Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK, 120pp - p28