A report released earlier this month from Pesticide Action Network (PAN) UK found that children across England are exposed to significant pesticide residues in the government’s “School Fruit & Veg Scheme.” Food for Thought documents more than 123 different pesticides on school produce, and calls on officials to source more local, organic produce to protect schoolchildren’s health.
The report draws on analysis of 12 years of pesticide residue data, and among key findings reveals that produce provided in the school program has significantly higher residues than mainstream produce found on supermarket shelves.
In 2015, for example, 90% of school program apples contained the residues of multiple pesticides, while for conventional apples in the supermarket this figure was just under 60%.
