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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will make an assessment of the effectiveness of existing disposal infrastructure for pesticides in the UK at protecting (a) the environment and (b) public health.

We have no current plans to make an assessment of the effectiveness of existing disposal infrastructure for pesticides in the UK.

The Government’s first priority with regard to pesticides is to ensure that they will not harm people or pose unacceptable risks to the environment. All pesticide users should follow good practice in the use, storage and disposal of pesticide products, and work to reduce the amount of waste they produce, as set out in the Code of Practice for Using Plant Protection Products.

For all pesticides there are legal requirements to store the product securely, use it according to its authorisation (which will include conditions considered appropriate to protect people and the environment) and dispose safely of any surplus.