Concerns over pesticide residue in drinking water

Chemicals used to protect crops from pests and diseases are ending up in our homes

A recent report from the Danish Society for the Conservation of Nature website reveals that most Danes are concerned with pesticide residue in their drinking water, despite levels currently being below those deemed safe by the authorities.

A total of 2,686 Danes took part in a survey conducted by TNS Gallup on the subject, and 63 percent said they did not agree with pesticide residue being present in drinking water at all.
Women showed more concern (69 percent) than men (56).

Seven percent answered that they were unsure whether pesticide residue in drinking water was acceptable or not.

READ ALSO: Tax on farmers' pesticide use proposed

Ongoing problem 
The web report also reveals that more pesticides are being found in Danish soil.

Between 2002 to 2012, the amount of residue discovered in soil samples rose from 18 to 30 percent. Pesticide residue was also found in 24 percent of the tested drinking wells in 2012 – four percent of these exceeded the allowable limit.

"Pesticides are the cause of a lot of polluted drinking water and the closure of wells," Ella Maria Bisschop-Larsen, the president of the Danish Society for the Conservation of Nature, told the society's website.

"Therefore, it is high time to ban the use of them where groundwater forms and is sourced."

READ MORE: Region struggles to clean poisoned ground

Pesticides in the EU
The use of pesticides in the European Union is strictly regulated according to the European Commission.

In 2008, the EU issued revised Maximum Residue Limits regarding the use of pesticides in member states.

 

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