Between 2010 and 2022, pesticide use in the EU rose by 12 percent, from 402,229 to 449,038 tons. Researchers warn that less than 15 percent of applied pesticides reach their target pests, with the rest contaminating soil, air and water, threatening biodiversity and posing risks to human health including cancers and disorders of the nervous, hormonal, and cardiovascular systems.
The SoildiverAgro project, led by scientists at the University of Vigo, tested 614 pesticides in 188 wheat fields across eight European countries and found residues in 99 percent of conventionally farmed plots – and even in many organic ones. Of the 35 pesticide compounds found in organic soils, only one was approved for organic farming, while most of the others had been banned for years, even decades.
The researchers warn that once pesticides enter the environment, they can persist and spread between fields through air, water and soil movement, making contamination extremely difficult to reverse. Persistent fungicides such as epoxiconazole and insecticides like imidacloprid were identified as especially harmful to ecosystems.
To read how scientific research is increasingly confirming the health benefits of pesticide-free organic food, see this article on our website.
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October 10, 2025Persistent Pesticide Residues Found in EU Wheat Fields
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A major European study has found that pesticide residues remain widespread in farmland soils and crops, with traces persisting for decades.
[Source: thescottishfarmer.co.uk]
[Image source: Adobe Stock]
Comment
Between 2010 and 2022, pesticide use in the EU rose by 12 percent, from 402,229 to 449,038 tons. Researchers warn that less than 15 percent of applied pesticides reach their target pests, with the rest contaminating soil, air and water, threatening biodiversity and posing risks to human health including cancers and disorders of the nervous, hormonal, and cardiovascular systems.
The SoildiverAgro project, led by scientists at the University of Vigo, tested 614 pesticides in 188 wheat fields across eight European countries and found residues in 99 percent of conventionally farmed plots – and even in many organic ones. Of the 35 pesticide compounds found in organic soils, only one was approved for organic farming, while most of the others had been banned for years, even decades.
The researchers warn that once pesticides enter the environment, they can persist and spread between fields through air, water and soil movement, making contamination extremely difficult to reverse. Persistent fungicides such as epoxiconazole and insecticides like imidacloprid were identified as especially harmful to ecosystems.
To read how scientific research is increasingly confirming the health benefits of pesticide-free organic food, see this article on our website.
Dr. Rath Health Foundation
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