On 7.7.21 a group of associations published an open letter calling for the protection of public health and ecosystems in Tuscany, Umbria and Lazio with respect to pesticide flooding in agriculture. (1)
The document is addressed to the presidents and councillors for agriculture of the three regions, those of the provinces of Viterbo, Terni, Grosseto, Arezzo, and Florence, and mayors affected by monoculture and pesticides.
Pesticides and the Common Agricultural Policy
The EU Court of Auditors – in Special Report no. 13/20, which we have already reported on (2) – offered a negative response to the question of whether ‘Has the CAP contributed positively to maintaining and enhancing biodiversity?‘ Acknowledging that the Commission and member states had taken actions to promote the sustainable use of plant protection products, but the situation worsened rather than improved.
The CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) has not introduced any cross-compliance, to tie aid in agriculture to the effective reduction of use of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides. And the knots of SAIO-the EU’s draft regulation on(Statistics on Agricultural Input and Output, SAIO)-haven’t been untied yet. (3).
Integrated production
So-called ‘integrated production’ has been prescribed to all farmers, on paper, for a decade now. It was in Italy that the Uni 11233:2009 technical standard was published to control and minimize the use of chemical inputs in
agriculture. (4)
Pesticides should be a last resort, the final solution to resort to–outside of organic farming–when other agronomic practices are not effective. But instead, both consumption and pesticide residues in ground and surface water have increased over the years, as seen (5,6).
Words (and pesticides) in the wind
On 9.11.20, area associations had already urged politicians and the relevant bodies to address the emergency of conventional (i.e., non-organic) monocultures in Tuscany, Umbria and Lazio. Without receiving any feedback, ça va sans dir.
Among other things, the European Commission has already initiated infringement proceedings against Italy, it is recalled, for failing to control prevented pesticide pollution of the very waters of Lake Vico, in the province of Viterbo. (6)
Intensive hazelnut groves
Sensitive areas that include the Via Amerina and Forre bio-district are still besieged by intensive hazelnut groves, whose disastrous impact on ecosystems and biodiversity has also been measured by ISPRA, as well (6,7).
‘The province of Viterbo has now reached the unenviable hazelnut coverage of 20-25 thousand hectares. Some municipalities in the Viterbo area have 1,600 hectares (ha) planted with hazelnuts out of a total of 1,800 ha agricultural. And hazelnut groves are now expanding in Umbria and Tuscany because land prices are lower than in Lazio.’ (open letter 7.7.22).
Pesticides and agricultural policies, poor Italy
The National Strategic Plan for the implementation of the CAP in Italy was blatantly rejected by the European Commission, as noted, on 31.3.22. Also because of the paucity of measures taken to control and reduce the use of pesticides and other agrochemicals in agriculture. (8)
Coldirette agricultural policies, after all, have diverted NRP resources intended for sustainable agriculture to the photovoltaic and technology sectors. (9) And the National Action Plan for Pesticide Reduction (NAP) expired as of 2018, as the Special Rapporteur to the UN on Human Rights Associated with the Management of Hazardous Substances and Wastes reminded. (10)
Wastewater and agricultural water
Italy meanwhile racks up infringement proceedings and European Court of Justice convictions, with hundreds of millions of euros in penalties, for ultra-decade-long failures to comply with wastewater treatment duties. (11)
Agricultural waters will have to meet the requirements set forth in reg. EU 2020/741, effective 6/23/23, and it is likely that no waterways in Italy today will comply with the new rules. (12) Beginning with large rivers (see, e.g., Po).
(Ir-)widespread responsibilities
The public health service, already at the local health authority (LHA) level, has a direct responsibility to prevent inauspicious events. (13) With a duty to take any action necessary to protect human health and the environment, in accordance with the principles of least burdens and good performance (Italian Constitution, Art. 97).
Sustainable development – which includes attention to the protection of ‘the environment, biodiversity and ecosystems, including in the interest of future generations’‘ and introduces limits to private economic initiative when ‘Contrary to social utility or in such a way as to cause harm to security, freedom and human dignity‘ – was among other things referred to in the recent constitutional reform (Articles 9 and 41. See footnote 14).
Interim conclusions
Exposure to floods of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and their toxic and hazardous substances has a deadly impact on the health of people, animals and ecosystems. Water contamination tends to be irreparable, as ISPRA’s periodic analyses show. (15) And soils degrade, with increased risks of desertification. (16)
It is the responsibility of all health and territorial protection authorities to adjust the regulations under their respective jurisdiction and ensure their effective enforcement with appropriate means of supervision and sanction. Also taking into account the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) in UN Agenda 2030 and the draft reform of the so-called Pesticides Regulation, adopted in Brussels on 22.6.22. (17)
Dario Dongo
Notes
(1) Orvietano, Tuscia and Lago di Bolsena Associations Coordination. Kronos Academy, WWF, Italia Nostra. Alfina Interregional Safeguard Committee (CISA). Interregional Environmental Heritage Network, Tuscia. Other City, Orvieto. Castel Giorgio Health and Territory Defense Committee. Chiani and Migliari Valleys Protection and Enhancement Committee. Association the Hedgehog, Città della Pieve
(2) Dario Dongo, Marina De Nobili. CAP, pesticides and biodiversity. EU Court of Auditors Report. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 29.7.20,
(3) Marta Strinati.
Pesticides, call for collection and publication of reliable data.
. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 30.5.22,
(4) Dario Dongo, Donato Ferrucci.
Sustainable agriculture, the ABC’s.
. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 16.2.19,
(5) Donato Ferrucci, Dario Dongo.
Integrated agriculture and pesticide use, the data do not add up.
. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 29.1.19,
(6) Dario Dongo. I love you Italy. The dark side of Ferrero’s hazelnuts. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 30.9.20,
(7) Dario Dongo, Giulia Orsi.
Impact of organic and conventional hazelnuts on ecosystems, ISPRA study preview.
. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 28.12.20,
(8) Dario Dongo. CAP, European Commission rejects Italy’s National Strategic Plan. #CleanSpades. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 14.4.22,
(9) Dario Dongo. National pesticide action plan, sustainable agriculture and NRP. #CleanSpades. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 4.2.22,
(10) Dario Dongo. Human rights and pesticides, PFAS, hazardous waste. OHCHR Audit in Italy. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 1.1.22,
(11) Dario Dongo, Giulia Torre. Agricultural wastewater, public health and food safety. EU rules and the Italian disaster. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 2.3.22,
(12) Dario Dongo, Ylenia Patti Giammello. Agricultural waters and food security, reg. EU 2020/741. THE ABC’S. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 26.9.21,
(13) Law 23.12.78, no. 833. Establishment of the national health service. Text updated 8.5.10 on Normattiva, https://bit.ly/3yS5Pra
(14) Dario Dongo. Sustainable development in the Constitution and the vices of Italian democracy. #CleanSpades. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 17.2.22,
(15) Dario Dongo.
ISPRA, 2020 report on pesticides in water.
. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 24.12.20,
(16) Dario Dongo, Giulia Torre.
Desertification and land degradation, PRIMA’s research and innovation.
. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 22.6.22,
(17) Dario Dongo.
Pesticide reduction, the proposed EU regulation.
. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 25.6.22.
Dario Dongo, lawyer and journalist, PhD in international food law, founder of WIISE (FARE - GIFT - Food Times) and Égalité.
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