The above image? Well it was grabbed from an article promoting the health benefits of a cup of tea, or as it turns out, pesticide left overs. Since Brexit, the allowable amount of insecticide residue has increased, in some foodstuffs, massively so.
The important abbreviation here is MRL (Maximum Residue Level) and for tea, there are two (two for tea?), there are two important pesticides, mainly because the MRL has been increased by 4,000 times. They are
I'm absolutely convinced that without pesticides and fungicides, we would experience severe interruptions to the food supply. I'm also absolutely convinced that we should know what we're eating and drinking and have a working understanding of the residual effects of pesticides and fungicides on the ecosystems.
Lets take a brief look at the weed killer Glyphosate. This is classed as a probable human carcinogen by the World Health Organisation and its use in protecting bean crops from weed infestation has been allowed to increase by 7.5 times.
Pesticide Action Network UK (PAN UK) have identified 49 different pesticides for which the MRL has been reduced: 15 of which are listed as "highly hazardous". The data was drawn from national and international sources, and the analysis from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
Lets take a brief look at the weed killer Glyphosate. This is classed as a probable human carcinogen by the World Health Organisation and its use in protecting bean crops from weed infestation has been allowed to increase by 7.5 times.
Pesticide Action Network UK (PAN UK) have identified 49 different pesticides for which the MRL has been reduced: 15 of which are listed as "highly hazardous". The data was drawn from national and international sources, and the analysis from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
The weaker Maximum Residue Levels applied by the UK are drawn from the Codex Alimentarius and it's notable that changes to UK standards have been applied only where Codes standards appeared to offer less protection to the consumer. It has been suggested that the Codex has been subject to pressure an influence from US Corporate Lobbying, (as if!).
What of it? Well, we're pretty much beset by health problems and whereas I'm uncertain regarding the full scope of the possible associations/effects between what we eat and drink and our overall well being, it's not beyond the realms of possibility to suggest that there may be causal relationships between what we ingest and long term, debilitating health conditions.
Shall I Just Stop Drinking Tea?
No. That's not the point of this piece, it's more to signal that in an age where there is increased pressure on resources to care for chronic conditions, we should be doing all that is possible to strike a healthy balance between intervention in biosystems and their unwanted impacts on our health and other ecosystems. Drinking Tea? if only it were so simple: follow this link to find out more!
We should remember too, that as a result of globalised food supply and demand, those who farm the products we consume and enjoy, experience high levels of risk and low levels of reward. The multi national companies seem to be doing okay though. Now, ain't that a thing?
