102 chemicals used on UK veg including some linked to cancer

Ingredients often used in a typical UK roast dinner could have been produced with an array of pesticides, an analysis has found. Greenpeace researchers examined data on pesticide use gathered by the Food and Environment Research Agency (FERA) from a sample of UK farmers, covering vegetables commonly eaten in UK meals. The campaigners found that a total of 102 different pesticides were logged for use on onions, leeks, carrots, parsnips, potatoes, peas, swede, turnips and strawberries over either 2023 or 2024 – the latest years of available data. Breaking it down, the data showed 43 different pesticides used on onions and leeks over the testing year, and 42 on strawberries. This was followed by 40 used on carrots and parsnips, 31 on field potatoes, 29 on peas, 20 on swede and turnips, and five on stored potatoes. Seven of the 102 pesticides have been banned in the EU because they have been linked to health impacts, including cancer, and to harm to bees, birds, mammals, and aquatic ecosystems, Greenpeace said. Its analysis also explored the number of times these British staples were dosed across the growing season, finding all crops received multiple applications and some were sprayed dozens of times. Most samples contained pesticides residues below the maximum residue level (MRL), which is the amount legally allowed on food or in animal feed. Officials say these are set usually well below the level considered safe, applying to food both grown domestically and imported from abroad. Campaigners have long argued these MRLs do not take into account other potential sources of toxins found in pesticides to which people may be exposed, such as drinking water, plastic packaging and a range of household products. Greenpeace says that intensive pesticide and fertiliser use is putting public health and British wildlife at risk, with many of the most commonly used pesticides classified as highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs), meaning they can be toxic to humans and wildlife. Some are also classified as PFAs, which are known as “forever chemicals” because they can take centuries to break down in the environment and have also been linked to cancer as well as harming bees and other pollinators. Nina Schrank, senior campaigner at Greenpeace UK, said: “A Sunday roast and strawberries might feel like one of the most natural and traditionally British meals imaginable, but behind the scenes they’re produced using an astonishing cocktail of pesticides. “Our countryside is being drenched in pesticides, with devastating consequences for bees, birds, butterflies, rivers and the soil. Fields that once hummed with wildlife are falling silent while agrochemical giants rake in enormous profits, and farmers are trapped in a costly cycle of chemical dependency. That doesn’t strengthen food security – it makes it more fragile.” While farmers are facing huge pressures from rising costs, climate shocks and volatile markets, Ms Schrank said some are showing there is “another way” as they reduce pesticide use and turn to nature-friendly farming. The Government’s pesticides action plan outlines the goal to reduce pesticide use by 10% by 2030, while official figures show the total weight of pesticides in the UK on arable crops decreased by 25% between 2018 and 2024. But Greenpeace says ministers must commit to halving use by then to deliver on nature restoration and food security. It said they should also aim for an 80% reduction by 2040, deliver the necessary funding to support farmers so they can reduce their reliance on chemical inputs, and introduce tighter restrictions on pesticide use in public spaces and homes. Martin Lines, chief executive of the Nature Friendly Farming Network (NFFN), said: “Many people will doubtless be shocked to learn how extensive pesticide use is within our conventional farming system, but it doesn’t have to be this way.” Mr Lines said that supporting farmers with the transition can “significantly drive down pesticide use”, but many have been locked into dependence on pesticides over generations because of Government policy and supply chain pressures. "We need stronger support, regulation and accountability across the whole system to take the pressure off farmers to produce more and more food from their land, and instead support them to deliver food, nature protection and climate mitigation, all at the same time,” he said. Dale Vince, environment campaigner and founder of Ecotricity, said: “An incredible finding – never mind the roast dinner – our fruit and veg is polluted with over 100 pesticides. Industrial farming is out of control, we know these chemicals are toxic, that’s why they are used – but they are toxic not just to insects, but to humans too. They should not be allowed in the food chain.” An Environment Department (Defra) spokesperson said: “We place strict limits on pesticide residue levels in food, which are set after rigorous risk assessments to make sure levels are safe for consumers. These limits apply to both food produced domestically and imported from other countries. “Our UK National Action Plan, published last year, sets out how we will support farmers, growers and other land managers to increase their use of sustainable practices to reduce potential harm from pesticides, while controlling pests and pesticide resistance effectively and protecting food security.”