BRATISLAVA, December 9, (WEBNOVINY) — Residues of pesticides are washed into the Danube River, regardless of the season of the year. The civil association Center for Sustainable Alternatives (CEPTA) made this assertion based on analyses of water samples from the Danube along its entire length in Slovakia, from Bratislava to Sturovo. It found residues of pesticides in samples taken both in summer and in winter. „All summer samples contained pesticide residues above the permitted limits. A sample taken in Komarno contained five different types of pesticide residues, one other sample contained the prohibited pesticide Atrazine,“ said Daniel Lesinsky of CEPTA.
The association carried out the sampling of Danube waters as part of the cross-border project Agriculture Without Contaminated Waters together with the Hungarian partner CAAG and external laboratories, which together analyzed 31 samples with water from both countries. The project revealed levels of pesticide residues exceeding permitted limits three-to six-fold for Acetochlor in all five summer surface water samples in Slovakia in the rivers Danube and Vah. „This is a pesticide that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency considers a carcinogen, in the EU it is classified as endocrine disruptor, i.e., a substance harming the hormone system,“ said Lesinsky. Among other carcinogenic or otherwise dangerous substances, they found residues of the pesticides Trifluralin and Metolachlor a 2,4-D.
Hungarian partners in the project collected samples of drinking water in Budapest, where they found above limit residue quantities of several years banned Atrazine and Acetochlor. Lesinsky noted that pesticide residues are not only harmful to human health but also for organisms and agro-eco systems, which ensure reproductive functions, such as pollination and biological stability. „Quantified damages caused by pesticide use in so-called negative externalities reach tens of millions of euros,“ said Lesinsky.
CEPTA maintains that the problem with pesticides can be prevented. Alternatives are primarily organic farming, biological pest control and integrated production. „All these nature-friendly approaches require thorough knowledge of pests, diseases, conditions for their life and reproduction, but also knowledge of resistant crop varieties, crop rotation, stress-free growing conditions, the principles of good care for the land, the need for natural predators of pests or non-chemical plant protection products,“ Lesinsky explained. He added that the natural conditions due to climate change and evolve, which does not make the whole issue easier. „It is therefore necessary to establish an independent consultancy system in Slovakia focusing on integrated production and biological control products that will help our farmers produce healthy food in a clean environment, to save their input costs and protect their health,“ he said.
Funding for establishment and development of such a system exists according to CEPTA under the Ministry of Agriculture as part of the Rural Development Program (2007-2013). However, the association contends that the ministry is not using the money as it could and therefore the funds are left unused. Lesinsky further pointed out that pursuant to EU law, by November 25, 2012, Slovakia will have to adopt an Action Plan for Sustainable Use of Pesticides, which is again the responsibility of the Ministry of Agriculture. „We expect that this document will be created on the basis of a broad dialogue of all parties involved and will establish conditions for implementation of effective reduction of pesticide residues in the environment, food, and minimize the negative impacts of pesticide use on human health, agricultural ecosystem, and other components of the environment, such as water in Slovakia” said Lesinsky.
SITA
