Welsh Water relaunches pesticide amnesty
© Tim Scrivener Farmers, growers and land managers in Wales are being offered the opportunity to dispose of unwanted pesticides for free.
Welsh Water has relaunched PestSmart, its free and confidential pesticide disposal scheme, which aims to safeguard raw water quality before it reaches treatment works.
The “no questions asked” scheme offers land managers the chance to get rid of out-of-date, unwanted or unlicensed chemicals safely.
See also: The rules for legal storage of pesticides on farm
The scheme is available throughout Wales, not just Welsh Water’s operating area. It is completely confidential and available for a limited time on a first-come, first-served basis.
Ian Christie, managing director of water services at Welsh Water, said: “Our routine raw water monitoring programme has detected increasing traces of pesticides in areas where we have never seen them before.
“While these levels are too low to pose a risk to those drinking the water, they are enough to risk breaching rigorous drinking water standards, so we want to work with farmers, growers and land managers to take action to address this issue together.”
The project has received funding through the Welsh government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh government.
Protect water
Welsh rural affairs minister Lesley Griffiths, said: “This is a great initiative by Dŵr Cymru and I encourage all farmers, growers and land managers to register for the free pesticide disposal scheme.
“Minimising the impact of pesticides on the environment is an essential part of responding to the ecological crisis, protecting Wales’s watercourses for future generations. “
To register, visit www.dwrcymru.com/disposalscheme or call 01443 452716 by no later than 5pm on Tuesday 31 March 2020.
Your details will be securely transferred to Welsh Water’s appointed hazardous waste contractor which will contact you for further details before collecting your unwanted pesticides and herbicides on a pre-arranged date.