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Pesticides differ from many other pollutants as they are designed to harm organisms (e.g. plants, insects, fungi) and thus inevitably have an effect on the environment. When concentrations of pesticides are above critical thresholds, individually or as mixtures, they can be harmful to the environment and /or humans by contaminating soil, surface waters and groundwater. Pesticide contamination of both surface waters and groundwater can affect aquatic fauna and flora, but also human health if, for instance, water or fish contaminated by pesticides is consumed.
According to Water Framework Directive (WFD) (EC, 2000) pesticide pollution above critical thresholds leads to both failure of ‘good chemical status’ in surface waters based on pesticide substances listed as priority substances, and failure of ‘good ecological status’ based on pesticide substances listed as river basin specific pollutants. This directly affects the failure of the environmental objectives of the WFD as well as the goal of the new Biodiversity Strategy to implement and enforce the WFD objectives to be met by 2027.
Within the WFD, pesticides are also listed as groundwater pollutants to assess the chemical status of groundwaters. For each specific pesticide substance, a quality standard of 0.1µg/l was set in the Groundwater Directive (EU, 2006).
Within actions of the Green Deal, the EU set targets for the reduction of the use and risk of pesticides by 50% and a 50% reduction in more hazardous pesticides until 2030 in the Zero Pollution Action Plan (EC, 2021), the Farm to Fork Strategy (EC, 2020a) as well as the Biodiversity Strategy (EC, 2020b) with a focus to improve and protect ecosystems and biodiversity. The indicator is based on ecotoxicological effect thresholds defined for aquatic systems and thus addresses the targets of all the directives and strategies mentioned above.
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Previous comments
No data is presented on pesticide mixtures, so suggest to delete.
No data presented on pestiicdes in soil, so suggest to delete
Green Deal - the target is a 50% reduction in the use and risk of chemical pesticides
“For each pesticide substance, a quality standard of 0.1 µg/L was set in the Groundwater Directive (EU, 2006), which is not a health-based limit value, but a general precautionary limit value.”
“The indicator for surface water is based on ecotoxicological effect thresholds defined for aquatic systems (EQS values) and thus addresses the targets of all the directives and strategies mentioned above. The groundwater quality standard for pesticides of 0.1 µg/L is a precautionary one, reflecting the political desire to keep pesticides concentrations in groundwater at extremely low levels.”
If the idea is that the term "pesticides" covers in this report also biocides, I would describe the use area as well as the potential exposure area much wider.
Biocides, using partly the same active substances as plant protection products, are used in a wide range of areas, from stables (insecticides) to households, over industrial uses (e.g. preservatives in different industries) with potential direct releases to soil and surface waters, including marine compartments: e.g. wood-/paint- or masonry preservatives applied outdoors, releasing to soil during applicaiton and service life (for up to 20 years) and anti-foulings applied on ships/boats releasing to freshwater or saltwater compartments during their service life.