UK: impacts and sustainable use of pesticides in 2011

The Pesticides Forum has published its latest annual report ‘Pesticides in the UK – the 2011 report on the impacts and sustainable use of pesticides'.

The work of the UK Pesticides Forum in 2011 confirms that the use of pesticides is not adversely impacting on the health of UK citizens or the environment. This is testimony to the effectiveness of both statutory and voluntary controls. However there is scope to reduce risks further without compromising the very real need to control pests, weeds and diseases.

The action plans of the UK Pesticides Strategy identify and help to direct activity resulting in a well-balanced package of statutory and voluntary controls and good advice relating to the responsible use of pesticides. It is important that those who sell, supply, store and use pesticides respect the very necessary legal requirements and engage positively with the innovative voluntary programmes.

This report shows that overall usage of pesticides (measured by weight of active substance) has continued to decline from the peak in 1998. In recent years this drop has largely been as a result of the loss of two key herbicides, isoproturon and trifluralin, and the reduction in maximum application rates of use of others.

These herbicides are all used primarily for the control of black-grass and it remains to be seen how much impact these losses will have on the ability of farmers to control this weed, while minimising the development of resistance to the remaining herbicides used.

One particular important issue the Forum discussed this year was how recent developments in pesticide application technology have helped users apply products more precisely. The UK is at the forefront of these developments. The use of GPS on modern sprayers and developments in spray nozzle technology has helped reduce the risk of drift and overspraying.

We continue to see increases in the number and quality of professional users of pesticides through the provision of well-designed training and continuing professional development programmes. The Forum was pleased to learn of the development of schemes such as Amenity Assured and other initiatives which will help to improve practice in this sector.

The Forum continues to highlight the importance and value of all relevant stakeholders working collaboratively to co-ordinate and provide advice on pesticide use. This will help ensure that society can derive the benefits from responsible pesticide use without being exposed to unacceptable effects. It is important to be innovative, ambitious and to strive to continually reduce risks. The UK public can be assured of the high degree of professionalism exhibited by those who sell, supply, store and use pesticides and that the UK’s robust and innovative range of controls deliver high standards of protection for human health and the environment.

Full report