Pesticide Amnesty Collects Over 840 Litres of Harmful Chemicals Across Devon and Cornwall

Scheme Aims to Safeguard Water Quality and Promote Healthier Ecosystems

In an effort to protect water quality and local ecosystems, more than 840 litres of harmful pesticides and chemicals were collected from farms across Devon and Cornwall last year. This successful pesticide amnesty, organised by Cornwall Wildlife Trust and Westcountry Rivers Trust, was funded by South West Water’s Upstream Thinking programme, which focuses on preventative measures to improve raw water quality across the region’s rivers.

A Collaborative Approach for Cleaner Water

The pesticide amnesty encouraged farmers to hand over outdated, unwanted, or banned chemicals for safe disposal, preventing potential environmental contamination. With the support of South West Water, the scheme offered farmers a free and confidential collection service for old pesticide containers. This effort aims to keep pesticides out of watercourses, supporting healthier ecosystems and promoting safer crop production in the region.

Carolyn Cadman, South West Water’s Director for Natural Resources, explained the importance of such initiatives: “Often farmers hang on to outdated pesticides because they don’t know what to do with them or just don’t get round to disposing of them. These old containers can easily crack and lead to accidental spills to the environment. One gram of pesticide can be detected many kilometres downstream, which shows the importance of reducing potential harm by removing these products from the environment before they soak into the ground and reach the watercourse.”

Encouraging Change Among Farmers

With two targeted pesticide amnesties recently completed, Cornwall Wildlife Trust reports a 40% decrease in the number of farms storing and using pesticides since working alongside the Upstream Thinking team. The programme’s approach involves working with landowners to manage land in ways that improve water quality before issues arise.

Annabel Martin, Head of Land Management at Westcountry Rivers Trust, highlighted the significant impact of these efforts: “Since 2016, we have collected and disposed of more than 7.3 tonnes of unwanted pesticides, herbicides and insecticides from 117 farms in our Upstream Thinking catchments in Devon and Cornwall. Given the highly mobile nature of these chemicals, it is incredibly important to remove the risk of spills and leaks, even when the river is distant to the farmyard. Providing this service enables farmers to do the right thing by the environment, without the risk of them having to transport the chemicals themselves.”

Ongoing Collection Efforts

Building on last year’s success, collections are already underway for this year. As more farmers take advantage of the amnesty, the collaboration between Cornwall Wildlife Trust, Westcountry Rivers Trust, and South West Water continues to demonstrate its value in protecting the natural water quality of Devon and Cornwall.