EU-banned pesticides still used on UK farms as industry warns of £810m hit
Greenpeace Unearthed has found that pesticides banned in the EU over links to cancer and fertility harm remain approved for use on UK farms, as industry warns growers could lose up to £810m if Britain rapidly aligns with European rules.
The dispute centres on plans to bring UK agricultural standards closer to the EU under a proposed sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) deal aimed at easing post-Brexit trade barriers.
Matching European pesticide regulations could mean swiftly removing substances that remain authorised in Britain.
CropLife UK, which represents major pesticide manufacturers, is urging the government to resist what it sees as a rushed transition.
The group has identified 14 pesticides banned in the EU since Brexit but still permitted in the UK, arguing that immediate alignment could significantly reduce crop yields.
However, Unearthed’s analysis found that ten of those substances were prohibited in the EU because of serious risks to human health or the environment.
Among them is dimethomorph, a fungicide used on British strawberries, raspberries and onions but banned in the EU after experts concluded it could damage fertility.
Another, benthiavalicarb, remains in use on UK potato crops despite being barred in Europe after it was proposed for classification as a carcinogen.
Of the 14 older pesticides highlighted by CropLife, two were classified as “toxic for reproduction”, four were banned over groundwater contamination concerns, four posed high risks to wild mammals or birds, and seven were identified as endocrine disruptors.
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals interfere with hormonal systems and have been linked to declining sperm counts, reproductive problems and certain cancers in humans, as well as population declines in wildlife.
“Since leaving the EU’s regulatory system, the UK’s pesticide standards have fallen sharply behind, putting public health and wildlife at risk,” said Chloe Alexander of Wildlife and Countryside Link.
She warned that delaying realignment would postpone protection from chemicals associated with “cancer, reductions in fertility, and groundwater pollution”.
Nick Mole of Pesticides Action Network UK described the planned SPS agreement as an “incredible opportunity” to restore stronger pesticide controls and deliver a “massive economic win for British farmers” by “restoring easy access” to the UK’s largest export market.
He added: “No one voted for Brexit because they wanted more toxic chemicals in their food and fields.”
Since Brexit, the EU has banned dozens of pesticides following detailed scientific assessments, while many of the same chemicals continue to be authorised in the UK.
Critics say the government has granted automatic licence extensions rather than carrying out full safety reviews in every case.
CropLife is calling for what it terms “managed alignment”, arguing there should be be “little or no change” to British pesticide rules in the early years of any SPS agreement.
Its report claims an immediate switch to EU standards in 2027 could cost farmers between £500m and £810m in the first year due to yield losses.
Farmers’ representatives have also urged caution over any abrupt regulatory shift. The NFU has warned against a sudden “hard stop” to UK pesticide decisions, saying any transition should be phased to avoid disruption and allow time for adaptation.
However, environmental groups argue that bringing UK rules back into line with Europe would both protect nature and support trade.
“We need to listen to the science: these chemicals are banned by the EU for good reason,” said Gemma Lane of the Wildlife Trusts.
“They contaminate our water and soils… We can’t have a resilient food system or tackle wildlife decline whilst relying on these chemicals,” she added.
With SPS negotiations ongoing, pesticide standards are emerging as one of the most contentious battlegrounds in post-Brexit agricultural policy, pitting trade access and farm productivity against environmental and public health safeguards.
