Welsh Water launches pesticide amnesty

Welsh Water is offering a confidential pesticide amnesty until the end of September to prevent chemicals entering Welsh waterways.

Farmers, growers and land managers across Wales are encouraged to anonymously dispose of any unwanted pesticides and herbicides as part of the free and confidential project.

The water company said it has detected increasing traces of pesticides in areas that previously did not have chemicals. To ensure these chemicals never pose a contamination risk to drinking water Welsh Water is running the scheme to facilitate the safe removal of the chemicals.

The company said it recognises the need for these chemicals in agriculture but needs to limit any risk of harm should they reach waterways.

Ian Christie, managing director of water services at Welsh Water, said: “Even the most organised of land managers can find themselves with an out of date or now unlicensed product which can be difficult or expensive to dispose of correctly. To help them, we are launching a free ‘no questions asked’ disposal scheme to safely take away any unwanted pesticides and herbicides.”

The scheme is part of a wider Welsh Water project called WaterSource to protect the environment with the cooperation of customers, farmers and land users. Last year the company was awarded almost £1 million from the Welsh Government’s Rural Development Programme to expand the project across Wales.

The scheme is available throughout Wales, not just Welsh Water’s operating area. It is completely confidential and available for people who register before 30 September 2019 and will be collected by a hazardous waste contractor after that date.

Similar amnesties have been run by Welsh Water and other water companies including the removal of more than a tonne of unused pesticides from farms in Kent earlier last year.