Alright, so, I’ve been digging into this whole thing about pesticides in our food here in the UK, and let me tell you, it’s been a bit of a journey. Started out just curious, you know? Like, how much of this stuff is actually on the food we eat every day?
First off, I went online and started looking around. Found this analysis by the Pesticide Action Network, or PAN UK, they call it. And, boy, were there some eye-openers there. They’re saying that there’s a bunch of pesticides on imported food that aren’t even allowed to be used by our own farmers. Can you believe that? We’re talking about 48 different types of pesticides that our farmers can’t use, but they’re showing up on the food coming in from other places.
Then, I stumbled upon some talk about ‘forever chemicals’—long-lasting toxins, they call them—being found in fruits, veggies, and even spices. PFAs, that’s what they’re officially called, I guess. So, I’m thinking, “Great, just what we need, more chemicals that stick around forever.”
I mean, I get it, pests are a problem when you’re growing food. You gotta keep the rodents, insects, and all that away from the crops. So, I started reading up on what pesticides are. Basically, they’re these chemical or biological things used to kill or control pests. There are different types of pesticides, such as herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides. It’s a bit confusing with all these scientific terms and words, I don’t know what they mean. Then I remembered that my uncle is a farmer, so I called him to ask about it.
He said that the UK has a list called the “Dirty Dozen,” which includes fruits and vegetables most likely to contain pesticides. Citrus fruits, strawberries, and grapes are high on the list. He also mentioned that while the overall amount of pesticides used might be going down, the types being used are becoming more toxic, and the area where they’re applied is increasing.
I also found out that these campaigners are pushing the government to ban 25 of these pesticides that have those ‘forever chemicals.’ Seems like a big deal, right? So, I went down to the local market and just looked at the produce, wondering about all this. I did a quick count, and about half of the fruits and vegetables were imported. If PAN UK’s report is accurate, it means a lot of the produce at the market might contain these chemicals. I ended up buying some organic stuff—you know, the ones they say only use natural pesticides like garlic and clove oil. Limited to about 15 types, they say. I also started asking the vendors where the produce comes from, and they seemed a bit annoyed by my questions. They probably thought I was just some nosy guy causing trouble.
So, where does this leave us? Well, I’m definitely thinking more about where my food comes from and what’s on it. It’s a bit of a mess, really. We’ve got rules for our farmers, but then there’s all this imported food with chemicals we don’t even allow here. And these ‘forever chemicals’? That’s a whole other can of worms. I’m no expert, but it feels like we need to get a better handle on this. For now, I’m sticking to the organic aisle a bit more and trying to stay informed. It’s a bit more pricey, but I guess peace of mind comes at a cost, right?
I’ll keep looking into this, though. It feels important. Next, I’m thinking of checking out those local farms that sell directly to the public. Maybe get a firsthand look at how they do things. And I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on what PAN UK and other groups are saying. This whole thing has got me thinking, and I’m not stopping here.
