July - August 2004
1. PAN Europe activities
Annual Network conference, 12-13 November 2004
In collaboration with Friends of the Earth Barcelona we will be
holding our annual network conference for members and other supporters
Friday 12 – Saturday 13 November 2004 in Barcelona, Catalunya,
Spain. Both the Catalan Regional Government’s Department of
Environment and the Barcelona local government are generously supporting
much of the conference logistics. PAN-E members will also be serving
as resource people for the technical seminar for Spanish professionals
on Best European Practice in Pesticide and Chemical Control
15-16 November, organised by FoE Barcelona.
The aim of our conference this year is to build capacity among
NGOs for promoting practical strategies for reducing dependency
on pesticides and on chemicals in general. The conference will allow
participants to discuss the achievements and limitations of different
government initiatives and to share experiences on useful NGO strategies
to influence the political and media agenda at national and European
levels. The draft programme will be posted on our website in early
September. We can confirm that Dr Nicolas Olea, a Spanish expert
on endocrine disruption, will be one of our keynote speakers. Participants
will also hear about the dozens of cases of permanent disability
suffered by workers, notably cleaning staff, related to exposure
to neurotoxic and endocrine-disrupting pesticides used in urban
environments in Barcelona, the links with other harmful chemicals,
and the efforts to seek compensation and promote integrated approaches
to urban pest control. The conference outline programme and registration
form for those attending from outside Spain will be posted on our
website by 23 September. Early registration is recommended as spaces
are limited.
Pesticide Use Reduction in Europe (PURE) Campaign:
PAN Europe Board members have held a series of meetings with Commission
officials from Environment, Health & Consumer Protection, Agriculture,
Eurostat (statistics) and Economics & Finance (taxation) over
the summer, in order to present our arguments for concrete targets
and legally-binding measures for pesticide use reduction in the
context of the forthcoming Thematic Strategy for a sustainable use
of pesticides. The Commission will publish its proposed strategy
this autumn, for debate by Parliament and the Council of Ministers
late 2004 and early 2005. Look out for news of our autumn activities
related to PURE on our website.
2. Published news and information
Latest EU residue monitoring report highlights increasing
problems
In the latest data available (from 2002) on average, pesticide residues
were found in 42% of samples, with 5.1% of total samples containing
more than the permitted national or EU-wide Maximum Residue Level
(MRL) for a specific pesticide in a particular food. Eight of the
ten most commonly found pesticides in fresh produce in all 18 countries
in the monitoring programme are classified as PANNA Bad Actor chemicals,
as are five found most often in cereals. The latest data reveal
a disturbing increase in residue occurrence: the frequency of samples
exceeding MRLs increased from 3.0% in 1996 to 5.5% in 2002. Multiple
residues are also found more often- an increase from 14% in 1999
to 20.7% in 2002, in particular, a rise in samples containing four
or more pesticide residues.
The EC 2002 co-ordinated monitoring with Member States studied
41 pesticides in pears, bananas, beans, potatoes, carrots, oranges/mandarins,
peaches/nectarines and spinach. Residues at or below MRLs were found
in 44% of samples (most frequently in oranges/mandarins), and exceeded
MRLs in 3.3% (most frequently in spinach). Most frequently detected
compounds in this co-ordinated monitoring were: imazalil; thiabendazole;
chlorpyrifos; maneb group; benomyl group and methidathion. Detections
of chlorpyrifos. maneb and benomyl groups doubled in 2002, compared
with earlier years. Chlorpyrifos is a nerve toxin, maneb fungicides
are suspected probable carcinogens and disruptors of the hormone
system, and benomyl associated with birth defects.
Commission slams nine Member States over lack of action
on methyl bromide
In July, the European Commission sent written warnings to nine MS
for failing to inform the EU of actions to limit the use of this
fumigant. Methyl bromide is being phased out at EU level on account
of its ozone-depleting impacts. Under EU law, national governments
must report annually the exact amounts used, for which purposes
and activities undertaken to reduce dependency on this pesticide.
Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Spain
and the UK have either not reported or reported inadequately. Neither
France nor Ireland had reported any information for 2001, 2002 or
2003.
EU wants to expand POPs lists
Nine more chemicals should be added to the UN Economic Commission
for Europe (UNECE) Protocol on Persistent Organic Pollutants list
of 16 substances linked to birth defects and death, announced the
European Commission in August. The UNECE Protocol is more ambitious
than the POPS or Stockholm Convention, which entered into force
earlier this year, and already includes the insecticides chlordecone
and HCH (including lindane),which the Commission wants added to
the Stockholm list. Amongst the additional industrial chemicals
proposed for both lists is pentachlorobenzene, also used as a fungicide.
New Member States struggle with EU pesticide laws
Compliance with EU pesticide legislation remains a challenge for
many new Member States. Resources are limited for all countries
but existing pesticide controls and laws varied widely before Accession
in May 2004. For example, the task of approving pesticide products
was completely new for the Baltic states, which previously had received
these authorisations centrally from Moscow. The Estonian authorities
had to set up an entirely new system. All new Member States laws
are now compliant with EU pesticides authorisation directive 91/414,
but the problems lie in implementing the legislation. The Baltic
states, which have modelled their new systems on the Scandinavian
approach, and Slovenia, Malta and Cyprus are the most advanced,
while some of the CEE countries with huge agricultural economies
have encountered major problems and delays. Governmental work has
focussed on pesticide authorisation so far, with little attention
yet to other important EU legislation relevant to pesticides, including
the Water Framework Directive and the Biocides Directive, for non-agricultural
pesticides. Bulgaria and Romania, due to join the EU in 2007, are
also taking steps to harmonise their legislation in time.
New Member States join in EU review process of pesticide
approvals
The new EU members will now be involved in the decision-making process
for active ingredients, serving as Rapporteur Member States (RMS)
for certain active ingredients in the fourth round of the EU review
of pesticides process. This round comprises around 200 active ingredients,
including many plant extracts, pheromones, commodity chemicals,
micro-organisms, fumigants and rodenticides (some of which will
also be reviewed as biocides too). Companies wishing to gain EU-wide
registration need to submit dossiers by July or December 2005, according
to substance group. The list of RMS is now published for round 4
substances or organisms, for example, Poland will be reporting on
garlic extract, Latvia on tea tree extract, and Estonia on the fungal
biopesticide Streptomyces griseoviridis. In this round
of re-registration, each subgroup of compounds is allocated to one
or more specific countries as lead rapporteur, in a coordinating
role. The UK will lead on the review of plant extracts, Netherlands
and Sweden on microbiological organisms used for pest control, and
Germany on fumigants and rodenticides. EU adjusts ai review for
new member states.
Dramatic rise in brain diseases linked to multiple
pollution
A new study by Bournemouth University, UK, tracks changes in a number
of brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and
motor neurone disease in Western countries in the last two decades.
The data, taken from UK, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain,
US, Canada, Australia and Japan during 1979-1997, shows that rates
of dementia in men have trebled, and this rise is linked by the
authors to increasing levels of pesticides, industrial effluents,
domestic waste, car exhaust fumes and other pollutants. Professor
Colin Pritchard ruled out genetic causes and said it was most likely
due to chemicals used in almost every aspect of modern life. He
also highlighted food as a major concern, since Japanese people
only show increased brain disease rates when they move to other
countries. The report stresses the multiple interactions of combinations
of chemicals rather than one single cause, and our lack of knowledge
on these interactions.
Danish research on pesticide impacts on aquatic ecosystems
A new report describes effects of a range of pesticides on bottom-dwelling
microscopic algae communities and representative invertebrate animals
in Danish streams. The pyrethroid esfenvalerate was by far the most
toxic of the investigated pesticides. Investigations of invertebrate
drift following exposure to esfenvalerate showed effect concentrations
between 0.2 and 20 nanograms per litre (0.2-20 parts per billion)
with the freshwater shrimp Gammarus pulex as clearly the
most sensitive of the tested species. Under spate conditions concentrations
up to 660 ng/l have been measured in Danish streams. The authors
believe, that with such low effect concentrations even after brief
exposures and the widespread effects on vital processes such as
survival, reproduction and behaviour, pyrethroids present the greatest
pesticide threat to invertebrate fauna in Danish streams.
Effekt af bekæmpelsesmidler på flora og fauna i
vandløb. Bekæmpelsesmiddelforskning fra Miljøstyrelsen,
Nr. 82, Danish Ministry for the Environment, 2004.
PAN-E partner, the Danish Ecological Council, comments that esfenvalerate
was banned in Danish agriculture and horticulture in 2000, but was
approved across the EU in 2000 although Denmark voted against its
inclusion in Annex I of Directive 91/414. This new report provides
strong evidence that esfenvalerate should never have been given
EU-wide approval, because it poses such a threat to invertebrate
populations in streams.
Denmark estimates huge savings in health costs from
implementing REACH
The Danish Environment Ministry has calculated socio-economic benefits
of 90-707 million euros to the country over a 30 year period from
implementing the proposed EU chemicals regulation policy known as
REACH. The estimate includes money saved in direct costs related
to medical treatment, especially for occupational cancers and contact
allergies, as well as indirect costs of lost production and individual
well-being, from preventative action to control exposure to chemical
agents of disease. Last year the European Commission estimated public
health savings across Europe at up to ?50 million over the same
period.
Winter lettuce continues to pose residue problem in
UK
The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs published
results of a monitoring programme to look at residue levels and
use of illegal pesticides, sampling from growers, nurseries and
retail outlets. Over 8% of samples contained residues over the Maximum
Residue Level, while 5.6% contained residues of non-approved pesticides.
The report concludes that managing pesticide use on winter-grown
UK lettuce, which is prone to fungal attack, continues to prove
difficult, although residues of methyl bromide, a problem in earlier
monitoring, had reduced significantly.
Fish affected by large amounts of sex change chemicals
in English rivers
A recent study by Exeter University on behalf of the UK Environment
Agency has found that one third of male fish are growing female
reproductive tissue and organs as a result of chemical pollution
in the water. The report authors blame the sexual disruptions observed
on the increasing use of endocrine-disrupting chemicals, found in
plastics, detergents, paints, pesticides, alklyl-phenolic compounds,
steroids and the contraceptive pill. These chemicals are often discharged
into rivers through sewage works. The findings raises fears for
future fish population growth as well as the health of other wildlife
and humans, including potential for hormone-dependent cancers.
Edie weekly summaries 30/07/2004 http://www.edie.net/news/Archive/8678.cfm
First UK local authority opts for non-chemical weed
control
Pembrokeshire County Council in Wales is the first in Britain to
use an environmentally-friendly method of using heat to kill weeds.
The Waipuna weed control system controls weeds by using biodegradable
organic hot foam heated to over 90 degrees. Pembrokeshire’s
cabinet member for the environment highlighted that the technology
is very accurate in dealing with a variety of weeds and can be safely
used in parks and play areas, allowing the public to enter treated
areas after only a few minutes.
Finnish pesticide sales rise in 2003
Agrochemical sales in Finland rose by 2.1% last year to 59.2 million
euros, and a 3 % increase in tonnage of active ingredients sold,
to 1,682t. Herbicides account for 70% of total sales of formulated
products. Zero tillage farming systems have caused an increase in
weeds and plant diseases. Certain perennial weeds that are hard
to eradicate with newer low-dose herbicides have multiplied, so
farmers are turning to phenoxy herbicides, according to the Finnish
Ministry of Agriculture. The two most important active ingredients
used in Finland are the herbicides glyphosate and MCPA, accounting
for 60% of total ai volume sold. Indoor insecticides and rodenticides
sales amounted to 5.7million euros.
Suburban use of herbicides endangers quality of French
river water
Herbicide use in two semi-urban catchment areas in France was studied
for the period April-July 1998. The Morbras and Reveillon rivers,
south-east of Paris, were selected and surveys made with pesticide
users in households, golf courses, forests, parks, railways, roads
and municipal services. Over 60 active ingredients were reported
in use, the five commonest being diuron, aminotriazole, chlortiamidine,
glyphosate and sulfosate. Average applications in the most intensive
uses were 0.9kg per ha on roads and streets, 4.0kg per ha in cemeteries
and 0.5-0.8kg per ha in parks and sports yards. Variation was very
high, however. Total herbicide inputs were estimated at 8 tonnes
per year in all six subcatchment areas, 50% of which was due to
non-agricultural use. Householders accounted for 30% of all uses.
Weekly sampling showed significant contamination of both river waters,
with diuron detected in all agricultural and urban sample points.
The highest concentration measured was 8.7 microgram per litre of
diuron, due to its use on impervious surfaces, leading to high levels
of run-off after rain. The EU drinking water standard is 0.1 microgram
per litre maximum contamination for any single pesticide. The study
recommends reducing the use of suburban herbicides in order to protect
water quality, as their use may severely endanger drinking water
provision from river sources. Householders should be targeted to
reduce their consumption.
First evidence of endocrine disruption in Ebro river
carp, Spain
Research in 2001 from five sites along the lower course of the Ebro
river in north-eastern Spain has revealed depressed levels of testosterone
and alterations in reproductive tissues in male carp fish downstream
of the sewage treatment plant in Zaragoza. Important aberrations
such as delayed maturation of female carp and poor sperm development
in males was observed in fish from the heavily industrialised area
of Flix. The effects suggest the presence of endocrine-disrupting
chemicals in the sewage discharges and industrial contaminants.
The observations are unlikely to be caused solely by the presence
of alkylphenol waste from Flix – mercury, chlorine, PCB and
DDT breakdown products often reported in the areas could also contribute.
In vitro studies indicate the ability of certain pesticides,
including fenarimol, to interfere with enzymes regulating sex hormone
production but more research is needed to link the observed effects
in carp to the use of pesticides in the Ebro catchment.
Parents working in agriculture run increased risk of
foetal death in Spain
Analysis of live and stillbirth data of children of manual, non-manual
and agricultural workers between 1995-99 was conducted to compare
workers from provinces in the south and east, which account for
two thirds of all pesticide use in Spain, with those in the rest
of the country. Offspring of agricultural workers from the intensive,
irrigated agriculture in these regions had the highest risk of foetal
death from congenital abnormalities. Relative risk of foetal death
from congenital abnormality increased for foetuses conceived during
the period of maximum pesticide use April-September. This is also
the period when 70% of acute poisonings was recorded by official
agencies. The findings support the existence of an association between
pesticide exposure in fathers who work in agriculture during the
first trimester of pregnancy and the risk of foetal deaths from
congenital abnormality. The offspring of agricultural workers also
had an excess risk of foetal death from other causes, but not necessarily
related to pesticide exposure at conception. The authors recommend
that pregnant women living with men involved in agricultural work
should be protected from indirect exposure to pesticides during
early pregnancy.
Exposure to genotoxic pesticides in Italian greenhouse
floriculture
Flower production in greenhouses with heavy use of pesticides is
characteristic of parts of Liguria, in north-west Italy. Previous
investigations of farmers in flower production by the authors had
shown a significant increase in chromosomal damage. 25 different
pesticides were used by 51 floriculturalists surveyed, mainly organophosphates
and carbamates. Monocrotophos, methamidophos, zineb, methidathion,
methyl parathion were used most frequently, as well as the herbicide
glyphosate. Most of the pesticides used by the exposed group have
mutagenic properties and induce different genetic endpoints: gene
mutations, chromosomal alterations or damage to DNA. The formation
of micronuclei in peripheral blood lymphocytes was used as a cytogenetic
biomarker to compare exposed and control subjects. Results showed
a higher frequency of micronuclei in floriculturalist subjects as
pesticide use, number of genotoxic compounds handled, and duration
of exposure increased, although the difference compared with controls
was not significant due to the small sample size. The findings suggest
potential human hazard also associated with benomyl and carbendazim
fungicides, widely used on fruit and vegetables, since exposure
to these compounds is associated with deviations from the normal
number of chromosomes.
3. News from PAN Europe partners
Belgian fruitgrowers highlight pesticide problems
Belgian farmer partners GAWI (Association of IPM Fruitgrowers of
Wallonia) organised a policy conference in June on Pesticides
Impact on Man & the Environment, attended by the federal
government Minister for Agriculture and the Walloon Minister of
the Environment. PAN Europe Board member Catherine Wattiez made
a presentation on The Need for Legislation to Prevent Health
& Environmental Impacts of Pesticides, and French Board
member Francois Veillerette on Good Practice for Pesticide Use
Reduction. Electronic versions of this and other recent presentations
by PAN-E Board and Working Group members can be obtained by PAN-E
network member organisations only by contacting the PAN-E Coordinator.
WWF-UK argue human rights case for a clean environment
for our children
WWF-UK's work on the child's right to a clean environment, hazardous
chemicals and REACH continues with a briefing note written for MEPs,
full legal advice and an article published in The Times by one of
the legal advisers. In summary, the documentation confirms that
at the international level there is a strong legal basis on which
to argue that a child has the right to a clean environment. Many
countries have already recognised this responsibility. Over 50 countries,
including Spain and Portugal, have a constitutional right to a clean
environment. Recent amendments to Finnish legislation have also
introduced important changes for the right of a child to a clean
environment, now leaving other EU Member States lagging behind.
There are many ways in which such a right could be realised, one
of which is a precautionary approach to hazardous chemicals.
New coalition in UK for access to environmental justice
A new Coalition for Access to Justice for the Environment (CAJE)
was launched in July, comprised of Environmental Law Foundation,
FoE, Greenpeace, RSPB (Royal Society for protection of Birds) and
WWF-UK. The coalition aims to tackle the British judicial rules
of “loser pays opponents costs” which has made it so
difficult for environmental groups and individual citizens to take
legal action against private companies or public agencies, and to
lobby for a positive interpretation of the Aarhus Convention (on
public access to environmental information justice and decision-making
) by the UK government.
German beekeepers and environmental NGOs demand ban
on imidacloprid
An interim prohibition on Gaucho, the insecticide imidacloprid linked
with high mortality of bees in France, was urged by environmental
groups, including PURE signatory Coalition Against BAYER-Dangers,
and the beekeeping sector in Germany in July. They demanded Food
& Consumer Safety Minister Renate Kuenast to withdraw approval
for this pesticide until better knowledge of its impacts is available.
This demand follows the recent decision by the French government
to prohibit Gaucho seed treatment on maize and sunflower. High bee
mortality has also been reported in Germany. Gaucho is produced
by German corporation Bayer, netting the company over half a billion
euros annual turnover. Gaucho is used in Germany on maize, sugarbeet
and oilseed rape. Beekeepers and environmental groups demand
prohibition of pesticide ‘Gaucho’, Joint press release
by the German Naturschutzbund NABU, the Coalition Against BAYER-Dangers
and the Association of German Professional Apiarists. Coalition
Against BAYER-Dangers www.CBGnetwork.de
Fact Sheets on Pesticide Use in Central and Eastern
Europe (CEE)
PAN Germany, in cooperation with the NGOs in CEE countries, recently
published a series of fact sheets. The 4-page fact sheets summarize
information on agriculture, pesticide uses and pesticide issues
in a specific country, provide suggestions for possible NGO action
and a list of addresses and links to important governmental authorities,
NGOs and laws. Fact sheets on Poland, Slovenia, Bulgaria, and the
Czech Republic are available in English, as well as in their own
national language. Fact Sheets can be downloaded from PAN Germany´s
Homepage, www.pan-germany.org
or from the partner websites.
Proceedings of the Organic Cotton Conference 04Cotton
International representatives of the organic cotton sector met from
10–13th February 2004 in Hamburg, as part of the joint PAN
Germany and PAN UK project ‘’Fair dialogue- mutual benefit:
responsible cotton stewardship’’. This European conference
on Developing the Organic Cotton Market attracted cotton
industry, politicians and NGO participants from Belgium, France,
Germany, Italy, Portugal, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and UK and
Africa (Benin, Mali, Senegal). The conference was the starting point
for a new European working group, committed to encourage production
and consumption of organic cotton. Conference proceedings can
be ordered at PAN Germany www.pan-germany.org/shop.htm.
African Workshop on Organic Cotton with European partners
PAN Germany, PAN UK and Beninoise NGO partner OBEPAB are organising
a multi-stakeholder workshop “Back to the roots: the farmers’
perspective on Organic Cotton Production and Marketing” in
Benin, 26-30 October 2004. The aim is to increase understanding
of the farmers’ perspective and intensify exchange and cooperation
between European stakeholders and consumers and African farmers
and their organisations. It also explores opportunities and risks
of sourcing organic cotton from Africa. The workshop will enable
European participants to visit organic cotton projects, talk to
farmers directly and follow up recommendations from the Hamburg
conference.
Transparency on Pesticide Exports Data
Very little information on pesticide trade is available publically.
PAN Germany aims for international co-operation among NGOs to demand
information from our respective governments and put pressure on
them to create the legal basis for more transparency on pesticide
exports, especially to developing countries. In 2003, PAN Germany
and German NGO Bread for the World launched a joint campaign “For
Transparent Pesticide Exports”, focussing on German law and
policy making, in order to influence the ongoing amendment of the
German Plant Protection Act.
The PAN Europe Newsletter is compiled by Stephanie Williamson,
PAN-E Coordinator, Contributions are welcome from PAN Europe network members and individuals.
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