Pesticides: Health Hazards

(asked on 8th February 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of long-term exposure to pesticides on the health of nearby residents as a result of spray drift from fields.


Answered by
Victoria Prentis Portrait
Victoria Prentis
Attorney General
This question was answered on 15th February 2021

Pesticides are only authorised for use in situations where scientific assessment finds that this will not harm human health, including that of local residents and bystanders, and will not pose unacceptable risks to the environment. The assessment looks at potential risks to children and takes account of the setting in which the pesticide will be used. Those using pesticides are required to take all reasonable precautions to protect human health and the environment and to confine the application of the pesticide to the area intended to be treated.

The Government operates a range of schemes which collect and analyse data on potential health impacts from pesticides. Biomonitoring studies have provided information on how actual exposure to pesticides compares with predictions. The draft UK National Action Plan, currently out for consultation, proposes that over the next five years, we will work with stakeholders to consider the potential for development of a human biomonitoring programme, to monitor exposure within the UK population to pesticides as well as other chemicals.

Monitoring the long-term effects of exposure to pesticides and other chemicals is challenging. The Prospective Investigation of Pesticide Applicators’ Health collects long-term data on the health of certified pesticide users.

The Code of Practice for using plant protection products has a specific section on “Protecting the Public.” This deals with the assessments that must be made of any risks to the public before using pesticides, notification of adjacent occupiers before spraying and particular care that may be needed for especially vulnerable groups. The Government does not believe it is appropriate to introduce a statutory requirement for operators to provide advance notice of planned spray operations to members of the public.

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