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Pesticide Action Network UK

We are the only UK charity focused on tackling the problems caused by pesticides.
Pesticide Action Network UK

Helping Cotton Farmers to Cut Pesticide Use
Pesticide Action Network UK

Are Pesticides Harming Bees?

PAN UK HomeSam Claydon2024-11-14T00:15:36+00:00

PAN UK Updates

London councils risking health of residents and wildlife by spraying cocktail of toxic pesticides
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London councils risking health of residents and wildlife by spraying cocktail of toxic pesticides

All PAN UK posts, Pesticide-Free Towns

London councils risking health of residents and wildlife by spraying cocktail of toxic pesticides

Sam Claydon2022-05-10T15:03:27+01:00April 5th, 2022|

With one month to go until London local elections, new information* reveals that local authorities are using twenty-two potentially harmful [...]

Pesticide and breast cancer – what are the links?
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Pesticide and breast cancer – what are the links?

All PAN UK posts, Safeguarding health

Pesticide and breast cancer – what are the links?

Sam Claydon2022-01-28T14:43:26+00:00January 28th, 2022|

by Patricia Bischof, Breast Cancer UK Breast Cancer is the most common cancer in the UK – with 56,000 new [...]

UK Government permits use of bee-toxic insecticides
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UK Government permits use of bee-toxic insecticides

All PAN UK posts, Changing UK policy, Defending the environment, Phasing out HHPs

UK Government permits use of bee-toxic insecticides

Sam Claydon2022-05-10T15:03:51+01:00January 14th, 2022|

The UK Government has today announced that it has approved an application by the British sugar beet industry and National [...]

Find out more about glyphosate - the active ingredient in Roundup

Find out more alternatives to pesticides using our resources section.

Find out more about the work we do to end pesticide use in cotton

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Thanks to The Pesticide Collaboration and @wen_uk

Thanks to The Pesticide Collaboration and @wen_uk for this fascinating talk about the ways in which women are more vulnerable to the impacts of pesticide exposure.

Watch it via the link in our bio and do let us know your thoughts.

The UK government tests roughly 3,000kg of food fo

The UK government tests roughly 3,000kg of food for pesticide residues each year. Once the results are published, PAN UK analyses this data and makes it accessible to the general public by producing the annual ‘Dirty Dozen’ list.

This list shows the produce most likely to contain residues of two or more pesticides (known as ‘pesticide cocktails’) to help inform people’s shopping decisions.

As part of the latest analysis, we looked beyond just fruit and vegetables to include all products of ‘non-animal origin’. As a result, the latest Dirty Dozen includes bread at number seven – with rice just missing out at number thirteen.

You can download the list for free via the link in our bio.

The study, led by researchers from Translational G

The study, led by researchers from Translational Genomics Research Institute and published in the Journal of Neuroinflammation, shows that pre-clinical models exposed to glyphosate develop brain pathologies associated with neurodegenerative disease. The findings suggest the brain may be much more susceptible to the damaging effects of the herbicide than previously thought.

“Herbicides are used heavily and ubiquitously around the world,” said a senior author of the paper Patrick Pirrotte, Ph.D., associate professor in TGen’s Early Detection and Prevention Division. “These findings highlight that many chemicals we regularly encounter, previously considered safe, may pose potential health risks. However, further research is needed to fully assess the public health impact and identify safer alternatives.”

Read the full story and find the article on our blog (link in bio).

@cityofhope

Pesticides are causing overwhelming negative effec

Pesticides are causing overwhelming negative effects on hundreds of species of microorganisms, plants, insects, fish, birds and mammals that they are not intended to harm. Globally, their use is a major contributor to the biodiversity crisis.

As part of a recent study, scientists analysed over 1,700 existing lab and field studies of the impacts of 471 different pesticide types – either insecticides, fungicides or herbicides – in agricultural, commercial or domestic use.

Wide-ranging negative effects were seen for over 800 species found on land and in water, including impacts on how fast they grow, their reproductive success, and even behaviour such as their ability to catch prey, find plants to forage upon, move, or attract mates. Pesticides can also affect organisms’ metabolism and damage cells. These negative effects can result in the premature death of wild organisms and reduce populations.

“Our study provides an unparalleled insight into the consequences of pesticide use on the natural environment globally.” Co-author Dr Ben Woodcock, an ecologist at UKCEH. @ukceh

Professor Dave Goulson of the University of Sussex, who was also part of the research, added: “It is often assumed that pesticides are toxic primarily to the target pest and closely related organisms, but this is clearly not true. Concerningly, we found pervasive negative impacts across plants, animals, fungi and microbes, threatening the integrity of ecosystems.” @dave.goulson

Read more and access the article in Nature Communications on our blog (link in bio).

Dr Cannelle Tassin de Montaigu, the lead author on

Dr Cannelle Tassin de Montaigu, the lead author on the study, said: “No nest was free from insecticides in our study, and this significant presence of harmful chemicals could be having devastating consequences on the UK’s bird populations."

Sue Morgan, Chief Executive of @songbirdsurvival who funded the study, said: “We are a nation of pet lovers and bird lovers, and it is extremely concerning to see the alarming levels of toxic pesticides in bird nests from veterinary drugs. Pet owners will be upset to hear that in trying to do the right thing to support their pets with fleas and ticks, they could be harming our ecosystem, resulting in dead newborn chicks and unhatched eggs. As pet owners, we need to have confidence that we are keeping our pets well, without devastating impacts on our wildlife.

“Our UK songbirds are in crisis. More than half of our UK songbirds are threatened or already in decline, which is why this latest research shows the importance of taking action as soon as possible. We want the government to undertake a more comprehensive environmental risk assessment of veterinary drugs.”

Read the full story on our blog. Link in bio.

Great news! A win for bees. The application to al

Great news! A win for bees.

The application to allow the use of a banned pesticide, the neonicotinoid thiamethoxam, on sugar beet has been denied.

After years of repeated 'emergency' authorisations of this banned chemical we are happy to see the new government stand up for our pollinators.

#neonics #bees

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