The Environment Agency says it has significantly improved its method for assessing pesticides in surface water.

The latest results for 2004 show a 19 per cent reduction in the number of samples exceeding 0.1 parts per billion compared to the average for 1998-2002, with an 18 per cent reduction in 2003 alone.

The Voluntary Initiative has welcomed these findings as an indication it is moving in the right direction with its central objective to reduce pesticide residues.

“The performance in 2004 is particularly encouraging given how wet the autumn was,” said Patrick Goldsworthy, the Crop Protection Association’s VI manager. “The weather conditions meant more pesticides could have been washed into watercourses.”

Similar signs of improvement have been recorded in levels of pesticides in groundwater. The EA reports that “the vast majority of groundwater sample concentrations are below the 0.1ppb limit.”

According to the agency, improvements may be due to people using pesticides that are kinder to the environment, combined with phasing out pesticides that have caused environmental problems in the past, or industry, farmers and the public improving how they use and dispose of pesticides, with help from legislative changes.

Despite this success, the VI has no intention of resting on its laurels.

“A lot of hard work has gone into achieving this result. However, there are still many pesticide users - especially occasional users and local governments - who can and must do more to ensure pesticide levels in water sources are minimised,” said Goldsworthy.

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