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Organophosphates

Volume 408: debated on Thursday 10 July 2003

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To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the last research sponsored by her Department into the toxicity of organophosphate sheep dips and their likely (a) environmental impact and (b) impact on human health was. [123408]

I refer the hon. Member to the earlier reply given to him by my hon. Friend the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Mr. Morley) on this issue, on 1 May 2003, Official Report, column 468W. The following table details the current position on each of the Defra sponsored research projects into the toxicity of organophosphate (OP) sheep dips and their impact on human health.

The Environment Agency has and continues to undertake a number of studies into the environmental impact of OP (and synthetic pyrethroid) sheep dips. The Agency undertakes chemical and biological monitoring of rivers covering the main sheep rearing areas and reports the findings, including failures of Environmental Quality Standards, on its website, www.environmentagency.gov.uk. A study into the impact of sheep dip disposal on terrestrial invertebrate life and possible knock-on effects to insect-feeding birds has been completed recently and will be published shortly. In addition, there is on-going research into the environmental fate of disposed sheep dip and its potential impacts on surface and ground waters.