UK is the "toxic poster child of Europe"

Campaigners say that the UK is becoming the "toxic poster child of Europe" and accuse the Government of breaking Brexit promises on standards.

 

Shockingly, but not surprisingly, the UK Government has failed to ban 36 pesticides that are not allowed for use in the EU.

 

Although the Government promised the UK would not water down EU-derived environmental standards after Brexit, there have been multiple instances of divergence since we left the EU.

 

The UK Government is failing to phase out pesticides that have been found to be harmful to human health and the environment at the same rate as the EU according to research from Pesticide Action Network (PAN).

 

12 of the 36 chemicals have been classified as carcinogens, 9 have been found to be endocrine disruptors which interfere with hormones and are linked to infertility, 8 are developmental or reproductive toxins that have also been linked to fertility problems, 2 are cholinesterase inhibitors that can impair the respiratory system and 1 is classified as acutely toxic.

 

13 of the 36 chemicals are considered highly hazardous pesticides under UN definitions used to identify the most harmful substances. Of these, 4 are highly toxic to bees, 1 contaminates water and 1 is highly toxic to aquatic organisms.

 

30 of the 36 chemicals were allowed for use in the EU when the UK left on 31st January 2020 but have since been banned and the remaining 6 have been approved by the UK Government but not the EU since then.

 

PAN is calling for the UK Government to bring standards back in line with the EU to protect human health, agriculture and the environment.

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