PESTICIDE USE REPORTING - AN ESSENTIAL TOOL

11.03.2002, PAN Germany Press Release

A new report published by Pesticide Action Network Germany (PAN Germany) describes pesticide use reporting systems and their immense value for the protection of human health and the environment

Data on pesticide use in the European Union are rare. The newest, just published data set on pesticide use in the EU is dated 1998 and includes only raw sales data. PAN Germany's report shows that other countries are far ahead and that they have implemented reporting systems, which track each single commercial application.

The PAN Germany report entitled "Pesticide Use Reporting, Legal Framework, Data Processing and Utilisation" thoroughly describes the unique full reporting system in the U.S. States California and Oregon. It presents how data are reported, processed and how they are used.

The analysis shows that pesticide use data by crop, active ingredient, product, time and location have a tremendous value for the evaluation of pesticide use. The report gives various examples that pesticide use data are used for:

• trends and statistics
• epidemiological studies
• water protection
• targeted monitoring, and
• public awareness.

There is a great demand for specific pesticide use data in the European Union. The European Commission and the Member States need to follow the examples stated in the report, and create a uniform European Pesticide Use Reporting system. Such system would enable researchers to exactly evaluate the effects of the current plant protection practices in Europe, and to pin point targets for pesticide use reduction measures by crop and region.

Further Information: Pestizid Aktions-Netzwerk e.V.(PAN Germany), Nernstweg 32, 22765 Hamburg, E-Mail: info(at)pan-germany.org

The study "Pesticide Use Reporting, Legal Framework, Data Processing and Utilisation" is available on the PAN Germany website and in the PAN Germany office on request.

The report was conducted within the programme "Pollution related diseases" of DG Health and Consumer Protection.