A campaign group is calling on the Labour government to “reduce pesticide-related harms” to both human health and the environment ahead as the party’s annual conference gets underway today (Sunday, September 22).
PAN (Pesticide Action Network) UK is urging Labour ministers to “undo the damage done to UK pesticide standards” and reverse changes introduced by the previous Conservative government which it said “weakened” the country’s pesticide standards.
According to PAN UK these included the decision to permit automatic license extensions for a range of “Highly Hazardous Pesticides” and also “weakening” the safety limits for the amount of pesticide residues allowed in food.
The campaign group said that at the Labour Party Conference, which begins in Liverpool today and runs until Wednesday (September 25) it will be lobbying the government to reverse these changes.
PAN UK said its latest analysis shows the previous Conservative government “attacked pesticide residue safety limits” on a range of common food items bought by British consumers including blackberries, grapes, onions and potatoes.
“Between 2022 and 2024, safety limits were weakened for 115 types of produce.
“While most of the food types affected are fruit and vegetables, the impact is broader and includes coffee beans and grains such as wheat and rice,” the campaign group said.
Pesticide residue
PAN UK said the changes weakened the pesticide residue safety limits for 49 different active substances – 15 of which (30%) are classified as Highly Hazardous Pesticides – which it said means that they pose a particularly high risk to human health or the environment.
Nick Mole from PAN UK said safety limits have been undermined for a “worrying list of pesticides” which includes ‘developmental or reproductive toxins’, endocrine disrupters and carcinogens.
The campaign group also said that if the Labour government “wants to keep their promises on restoring nature, cleaning up our waters and improving health outcomes” then its needs to undo the “harms” caused by the previous government.
Separately the Best for Britain campaign has also called for “beneficial alignment” with the EU on regulations and standards.
Tom Brufatto, director of policy at Best for Britain said: “Previous Conservative governments used Brexit as an opportunity to race to the bottom on food standards and environmental protections, but divergence from our European neighbours has only increased costs for businesses and consumers alike.
“The new government has the opportunity to put an end to this trend.
“Aligning with high EU standards where beneficial will not only protect the wellbeing of our population and environment, but boost the economy too,” he added.
