Actions from the EU continue to tighten the use of pesticides in agriculture as a precaution to protect bees and other pollinators and human health.
European Union countries approved the Commission’s proposal to limit the presence of neonicotinoid pesticides in foods to the minimum detectable by science. Bees play a critical pollinating role in sustaining the global food supply, yet their populations are in clear decline.
Stella Kyriakides, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, stated that this is the first time the maximum residue limit for pesticides has been lowered to reflect the global environmental impact of active substances.
The European Food Safety Agency has determined that two ingredients in these pesticides, clothianidin and thiamethoxam, pose a high risk to pollinators. Outdoor use of these substances was already banned in the EU in 2018.
The new rule reduces the maximum allowable levels of these substances in both food and feed. Reports indicate that the limit will be set at the lowest level that current technology can measure.
The forthcoming regulations will be sent to the Council of Europe, and the European Parliament has two months to decide. If no objection is raised by any institution, the regulation could be adopted in early 2023.
The Health Commissioner emphasized that today marks another step toward moving global food systems toward sustainability.
By applying the new standard, food produced within the European Union will need to adapt to the lower thresholds and products without either neonicotinoids will be favored, including those imported from third countries.
34% of Spanish food contains pesticides
A recent international scientific study shows that almost half of EU food products carry pesticide residues. In Spain the share is 34% but the issue remains serious since a portion of detected pesticides are not licensed for use.
Directly to your hormones, ecologists warn that the rapid reduction of pesticide use is possible only if the Spanish administration complies with regulations and significantly lowers the use of such substances, which can cause acute and chronic health effects.
Pesticides are among the leading causes of death from voluntary poisoning, especially in low and middle income countries according to the World Health Organization. More than 1000 pesticides are used worldwide to combat pests, each with distinct properties and toxicological effects. Some can persist in soil and water for years.
While soil health remains a focus of international pesticide work, researchers note that pesticides can enter the food chain and affect both food quality and human health. EU food crops are routinely checked for pesticide residues each year. Yet the European Food Safety Authority reported that in 2020, 48% of 91,015 tested EU food products contained pesticide residues.
Organic foods show lower pesticide loads
Studies from the University of Córdoba indicate that organically produced food tends to have a lower pesticide load than conventionally produced food. In the cited research, 13.8% of organic samples contained residues compared to 46% of conventional samples; a smaller percentage of organic samples exceeded maximum residue limits (MRLs).
Nevertheless, the study also notes that dietary risks may be greater due to multiple residues. About 29% of analyzed foods carried multiple pesticide residues, with as many as 29 different substances detected in a single sample. Contaminants include DDT among others.
Experts advise that MRLs should be established quickly for mixtures of pesticide residues in food and that total MRLs consider the sum of all residues and the number of residues detected. They also suggest that MRLs be significantly lower for organic foods compared to conventional ones.
Results from European studies mirror the ecologists in action findings. Spain, a continental leader in pesticide sales, faces concerns about residues remaining in food. The Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN) regularly tests a range of food samples. The most recent AESAN analysis of 2019 aligns with the Ecologists in Action report, showing that 98.3% of samples comply with regulations because residues stay below established safety limits.
44% of fruits and vegetables carry multiple pesticides
Analyses reveal substantial pesticide presence in Spanish food. About 34% of all samples contained one or more pesticides, rising to 44.4% in fruits and vegetables. Some samples showed up to nine different pesticides, with strawberries as a notable example containing many residues including endocrine disruptors.
The report highlights concerns about contaminants that affect the hormonal system, since any amount can be harmful similar to carcinogens. Ecologists in Action argue that AESAN’s current maximum residue limits do not offer adequate protection. They urge a stricter approach and emphasize that avoiding use of these pesticides may be the only safe option. The combined exposure from multiple substances presents an unknown risk that is difficult to assess scientifically.
Pesticides not allowed in Spain
The report condemns Spain for continuing use of a wide range of pesticides not permitted by European law. In particular, a significant share of waste pesticides has been identified as unauthorized. Some commonly used pesticides were not included in AESAN analyses, despite being considered highly carcinogenic by international authorities.
Ecologists in Action argues that rather than improving analysis, AESAN has reduced the number of pesticides tested and the volume of samples, placing Spain toward the bottom in Europe for monitoring. The solution lies with a brave administration that adheres to European strategies and aims to cut pesticide use and risk by 50% by 2030. The call is for a transition to farming methods that use fewer toxic substances and protect health and the environment.
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