UK group urges retailers to reduce pesticide levels

[Guest guest]

UK group urges retailers to reduce pesticide levels

By Brown

LONDON, Mar 13 (Reuters) - Exposing young children to pesticides in fruit,

vegetables and popular nibbles like crisps may cause them serious health

problems in later life, an environmental group said on Wednesday.

Retailers should try to eliminate such residues, according to the report by

environmental pressure group Friends of the Earth, which was released at the

same time as government data showing that some of the chemicals in food had

exceeded the safety limits set for toddlers.

The group said that while it agreed with World Health Organisation

recommendations that children should consume at least five portions of fruit

and vegetables a day, this would expose them to more pesticides in the name

of healthy eating.

The report said that babies and children are more exposed to pesticides in

food because, in proportion to their body weight, they eat a bigger

proportion of food than adults.

It added that even at low levels, early exposure to hormone-disrupting

pesticides could lead to serious health problems.

The group said children living in agricultural areas around the world have

been shown to have pesticides in their bodies and links had been found to

effects such as birth defects and cancer.

" Retailers have a responsibility to sell safe food. This includes making

sure it does not contain harmful pesticides. Infants need special protection

from pesticide exposure--the harm done early in life can have serious health

consequences later, " Bell, the group's food and farming campaigner

said.

" Retailers should be putting babies and children first by removing

pesticides from the food they eat, " she added.

New regulations are due to be introduced by the government in July,

prohibiting pesticide residues in processed baby food, but Friends of the

Earth said the same restrictions should apply to fresh fruit and vegetables

to cover baby food made at home.

Last year, the Co-operative Group, a major farmer and retailer, and Marks &

Spencer PLC announced they were banning a range of pesticides and

restricting the use of others amid fears about their impact on health and

the environment.

" Now its time for supermarkets to deliver on their promises by prohibiting

the use of the most risky pesticides and helping the farmers that supply

them to find alternatives, " Bell said.

" Retailers should come clean with their customers by publishing the results

of their residue testing--so far only the Co-op and M & S have been honest

enough to do this, " she said.

Copyright © 2002 Reuters Limited.