Pesticides in roses
Råd & Rön, the magazine of the NGO “Swedish Consumers' Association” has published a study of pesticides in 20 bouquets of roses. In total 71 different pesticides could be found of which 24 are not authorized in the EU. Pesticides could be found in all samples analysed, including Fairtrade labelled, and a single flower could contain up to 22 substances. The total concentration of all pesticides varied between 1-84 mg/kg. Most of the roses were grown in East Africa and a few in Europe (The Netherlands).
The most common types of pesticides were fungicides (37), insecticides (29) and acaricides (5). Most of the substances show toxicity to aquatic organisms, many are allergenic and ten suspected carcinogens. Among individual pesticides that were frequently detected spiroxamine, acetamiprid, cyprodinil, boscalid, difenoconazole and fluopyram can be mentioned. Some of the ones banned in the EU included carbendazim, clofentezin famoxadone and iprodione.
The pesticide content in ornamental plants and flowers is not regulated within the EU. The Råd & Rön article largely mirrors the recent study by the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation where “bee friendly” plants were investigated. Also in that case numerous pesticides, 68 different, sometimes at high levels could be found in flowers as well as in leaves, roots and soil.
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Links
Råd & Rön (subscription necessary for whole article, in Swedish)
TV4 interview (In Swedish)
Eurofins news, Bee-friendly plants