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MALTATODAY 21 August 2019 Midweek

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11 PESTICIDES are an important aspect of agriculture, enabling farmers to produce more food on less land and reduce in- stances where crops are ruined as a result of harmful organ- isms. Yet, overuse of pesticides could lead to various health hazards, and this necessitates some form of control over how these are used, ensuring both safety and sustainability. Pesticides include a wide- ranging variety of different mixtures, including herbi- cides, repellents and growth regulators. Of note are those pesticides known as plant protection products (PPPs), which are aimed at protecting crops and destroying unde- sired plants. PPPs are particu- larly important because they may only be used within the EU if they are authorised by Member States. For a PPP to be authorised for use in EU territory, it must go through a rigorous process to ensure that it is safe for use. The decision as to whether to authorise the PPP is made by the European Commission and Member States, based on a review undertaken by the European Food Safety Au- thority (EFSA). Even after au- thorisation, PPPs are contin- uously monitored in order to ensure that levels being used in the food we eat are safe and sustainable. A central piece of legisla- tion is the Directive on the Sustainable Use of Pesticides, which looks to reduce the risks and impacts of pesti- cide use on human health and the environment. To do this, each Member State draws up its own national action plan to work towards sustainable pesticide use. These plans cover five-year periods, with the first being established for the 2013-2018 period, and a revision taking place to cover a second five-year period un- til 2023. Malta's own national action plan for 2019-2023 looks to continue strengthening the principles of the previous plan, particularly by focus- ing on six specific objectives aimed at building on what has already been achieved. Such objectives include bet- ter educational opportunities for pesticide suppliers and users, better controls on the use of PPPs, as well as looking towards alternative strategies for low pesticide use in agri- culture. These action plans are es- sential in not only meeting the objectives of the Direc- tive, but in ensuring that pes- ticides being used are safe and that human health is always prioritised. Having proper testing methods to identify pesticide existence in fruits and vegetables is essential in fulfilling these objectives. In fact, while it is commonly thought that pesticides are overused in the production of local produce, recent studies have shown that this overuse is not as alarming as once believed. According to data collected by the EFSA, only 3% of local produce contain levels of pesticides which are over the levels permitted by law. This is in contrast to pre- vious statistics which showed that more than 13% of local produce was found to be over the limit. Additionally, Malta recently banned the use of a specific pesticide known as chlorpyri- fos, after dangers were flagged by the EFSA. This comes after the Commission called on all Member States to ban the use of this substance by 2020, due to its negative impacts on hu- man health. Proper cooperation between the EU and Member States continues to be essential in ensuring sustainable pesticide use. This cooperation is also extended to those stakehold- ers who work with pesticides, as their experiences are essen- tial in ensuring good policy- making. In fact, when Malta was preparing its own action plan, MEUSAC and the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority (MCCAA) organised consultation ses- sions in order to gather feed- back from stakeholders in the agricultural sector. Stake- holders continue to empha- sise the importance of having available testing methods and procedures to make sure that pesticides being placed on the market are safe. maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 21 AUGUST 2019 Mark Abdilla forms part of the EU Policy & Legislation team at MEUSAC OPINION Mark Abdilla Prioritising pesticide sustainability www.creditinfo.com.mt info@creditinfo.com.mt Tel: 2131 2344 Your Local Partner for Credit Risk Management Solutions Supporting you all the way Malta recently banned the use of a specific pesticide known as chlorpyrifos, after dangers were f lagged by the EFSA. This comes after the Commission called on all Member States to ban the use of this substance by 2020, due to its negative impacts on human health

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