September 12, 2014

12/09/2014: Product development and controls reduce water contamination

It's pleasing to read that the development and adoption of greater controls on the use of pesticides and the developments that have produced safer products in recent years hav reduced sharply the risk to the general population of health risks from pesticide-contaminated rivers and streams.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/12/us/pesticide-levels-in-waterways-have-dropped-reducing-the-risks-to-humans.html?_r=1


However, the risk to aquatic life in 'urban' waters has risen. This is the findings of a 20-year study by the Geological Survey in the United States (and published recntly in the Journal of Environmental Science and Technology).

The study monitored many pesticides from 1992 sampling 200 points on rivers throughout the USA. Insecticides and herbicides were found in almost all waterways. In the first 10 year period some 17 percent of agriculgtural streams were contaminated with at least one pesticide with contamination levels above the maximum for drinking water. However, in the second 10-year period only one stream was found to be contaminated nationwide.

Less toxic products that required less application was though to have driven the decline. Regulations are also thought to be a significant driver such as the ban on pesticides such as dieldrin and lindance.

Read more HERE.
 

The Global Miller
This blog is maintained by The Global Miller staff and is supported by the magazine GFMT
which is published by Perendale Publishers Limited.


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