Pesticides continue to be a problem in Swiss waters
Published: Wednesday, Jul 10th 2024, 11:50
Updated At: Thursday, Jul 11th 2024, 01:58
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Pesticide contamination has decreased in heavily polluted watercourses in Switzerland. Nevertheless, according to a new analysis, many kilometers of rivers and streams are still contaminated. There has been little improvement in small streams over the last four years.
"There is still work to be done," wrote the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology Eawag on Wednesday on X.
Together with the Swiss Water Association (VSA), Eawag researchers investigated how the "Plant Protection Products Action Plan" adopted by the Federal Council in 2017 has affected pesticide concentrations in watercourses.
The number of locations at which all limit values are complied with hardly changed between 2019 and 2022, as the study published in the journal "Aqua & Gas" shows. In 2022, limits for pesticides were exceeded at a total of 22 out of 36 locations examined. This corresponds to 61 percent. Small and medium-sized streams were particularly affected.
Interim target barely achievable
There was a slight improvement in medium-sized and large watercourses in 2022. However, no clear trend was discernible over the four years, the researchers noted in the report. In 2022, however, there were significantly fewer locations with more than ten limit value exceedances. Thus, at least for heavily polluted watercourses, a trend towards improvement is visible.
The interim report assumes that the interim target of halving the length of stretches of Swiss watercourses in which pesticide limits are exceeded by 2027 cannot be achieved.
Plant protection products in water bodies can damage plants, animals and microorganisms and thus reduce biodiversity, as Eawag wrote.
https://www.dora.lib4ri.ch/eawag/islandora/object/eawag:33095
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