Research published in the journal Science of the Total Environment has discovered that Ireland’s water supplies contain hazardous levels of pesticides. Irish Water has also acknowledged the danger.
Reacting to the news, People Before Profit’s Dublin candidate for the European Elections, Gillian Brien said:
“We cannot ignore the science anymore. Pesticides and antibiotics are polluting streams across Ireland.
“This contamination is dangerous for wildlife and may increase the development of drug-resistant microbes. These pesticides as well as contaminating our water sources are having a disastrous impact on insect life and the broader bio-diversity in eco-systems the world over.
“A recent paper in the journal Biological Conservation showed that 40% of insect species are declining and a third are endangered. One of the main reasons for this was the heavy use of pesticides. We are facing a collapse of nature if we do not take radical action to avert insect species loss.”
Over 100 pesticides and 21 drugs were detected in the 29 waterways analysed in 10 European nations, including Ireland.
Gillian Brien said: “This is utterly shocking that our public water supplies have dangerous levels of pesticides within them.
“We must act now and ban all pesticides that are hazardous. We have moral responsibility to protect our water and eco-systems from hazardous pollution.
“There are eco-friendly pesticides available. It is time human health and our environment came before the profits of big corporations like Bayer and Monsanto.”