Pesticide health risks investigated

State Secretary of Environment, Mansveld, adopted the recommendation of the Health Council to issue a large-scale study of health risks of pesticides. In 2015 and 2016 everybody who lives near agricultural areas will receive an invitation for a screening, announced Mansveld. The Netherlands have so far only conducted few studies of health risks to people who live in close proximity of crops that are chemically treated.

Studies abroad revealed an increase of skin and respiratory irritation. The State Secretary thinks the study results of those studies are not sufficient 'to draw a sound conclusion about the relation between the use of pesticides and health issues.' The Health Council additionally concluded that foreign results can not randomly be applied to the Dutch situation. After studying the usefulness of a study in the Netherlands, the Council came to a positive conclusion, which was adopted by the State Secretary.