Soil Association are carrying out detailed research into pesticides
commonly encountered in non-organic fruit and vegetables. Their findings
will be published in a colour booklet entitled 'What's your poison?' to
be distributed widely.

S.A. quote the example of Aldicarb, a pesticide used on potatoes.
Aldicarb acts as a nerve poison and is classified by the World Health
Organisation as 'extremely hazardous'. A UK Govt. survey in 2003 found
that five percent of potato samples had detectable levels of Aldicarb
residues up to and in one case exceeding legal limits. This suggests
that last year 500,000 may have eaten potatoes containing residues of
Aldicarb that exceeded safety limits.

The UK Government's Food Standards Agency [FSA] are seeking ways to
minimise pesticide residues in food, but Govt. pesticide safety advisors
are playing down the dangers. Soil Association wish to press for more
positive Govt. action by means of their research and publicity.

Soil Association: www.soilassociation.org
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.