29-Aug-2006
- The Sheep Dip Pollution Reduction Programme,
a new initiative to help tackle sheep dip pollution,
has been launched this week.
Philip Rees, independent Chairman
of the Sheep Dip Steering Group which will be
leading on the initiative, said: "The Sheep
Dip Pollution Reduction Programme has a number
of key actions to minimise the environmental risks
from sheep dip chemicals, whilst also meeting
the needs of the sheep farming industry."
The Environment Agency and Veterinary
Medicines Directorate have developed the action
plan following consultation with a wide range
of stakeholders including the farming industry
and angling and conservation groups.
The first meeting of the Sheep
Dip Steering Group was held on Monday 21 August
2006. Members were briefed by the National Farmers
Union on the 'STOP every DROP' campaign. This
forms one element of the action plan and represents
immediate voluntary action that can be taken by
the farming industry to ensure farmers and contractors
adopt best practice when using dip products.
There was consensus from the
group to move forward with a study to identify
the right mix of voluntary and regulatory measures
to provide a long-term solution to the sheep dip
problem. Options will be assessed taking into
account animal health and welfare, the environment,
human health and impacts on rural economies. Links
will be made with proposed industry led sheep
scab eradication initiatives.
Other key actions include:
monitoring rivers and streams
nationally in order to measure the extent of the
problem and to provide a baseline against which
improvements can be measured carrying out research
to provide strong evidence to support any decision
making around sheep dip pollution Philip Rees
continued: "Over the next twelve months the
Environment Agency and the Veterinary Medicines
Directorate will work together with the industry
and angling and conservation groups to tackle
this problem. In 2005, pollution incidents involving
sheep dips caused significant damaging to our
environment and attracted fines of up to £38,000."
The steering group will be responsible
for monitoring the action plan, reporting on progress
after six months and again after one year. It
is made up of representatives from the farming
industry, manufacturers of dips, the wool industry,
veterinarians, angling and wildlife interests,
the government and relevant regulators.
Sheep dip products, especially
those containing the chemical cypermethrin, can
have a damaging impact on the environment. For
example, in one incident, very small quantities
of cypermethrin dip used to wash out a lorry used
to carry dipped sheep contributed to over 15km
of river life in West Wales being seriously impacted.
Between January 2004 and August
2005, over thirty sheep dip incidents causing
major or significant damage on water quality were
investigated in England and Wales. The majority
of these incidents were in Wales and, most arose
from apparent routine use, mainly of cypermethrin,
rather than disposal of used dip.
Currently, sheep dip products
containing cypermethrin have been suspended, pending
a review, by the VMD following advice from the
Environment Agency and other bodies.
The Pollution Reduction Programme
is available from the Environment Agency and VMD’s
websites at www.environment-agency.gov.uk/sheepdip
or
www.vmd.gov.uk/General/sheepdip/sheepdips.htm
Indeg Jones
