Campaigners fear open door for endocrine disrupting pesticides

Planned changes to EU rules on pesticides mean fruit and vegetables could contain far greater residues of chemicals that have been linked to a range of diseases and developmental disorders, the campaign group Pesticide Action Network Europe warned on Wednesday.

Government delegates are due to meet on Thursday to discuss a European Commission proposal to amend parts of the 2009 Plant Protection Products Regulation. Current rules mean a pesticide containing an endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) cannot be marketed unless the resulting exposure of humans or other non-target organisms is 'negligible'.