Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the findings of Defarge et al in Toxicity of formulants and heavy metals in glyphosate-based herbicides and other pesticides published in Toxicology Reports, volume 5, about the use of so-called inert ingredients in those chemical formulations.

The paper by Defarge et al studied the effects of glyphosate (and other active substances) and of a number of other components of pesticide formulations. It concludes that the effects of those other components are greater than the effects of glyphosate and suggests a need to assess the impacts of pesticide products.

The current system for regulating pesticides does assess the impacts of both active substances and formulated products. The assessment and decision making for active substances is carried out at EU level; the equivalent process for products takes place nationally. This means that the potential impacts of each product are assessed; it is not assumed that a product is safe simply because the active substances it contains have been approved. The EU is also developing a list of chemicals which will be prohibited from use in pesticide products.

The review of glyphosate raised some concerns over the inclusion of POE tallowamines in formulated products. In August 2016, the European Commission therefore instructed Member States to require the removal of these chemicals from glyphosate products. The UK has implemented this requirement.

The Commission decided in December 2017 to approve glyphosate for continuing use until December 2022. Following that decision the UK and other Member States will review the product authorisations of all herbicides containing glyphosate. This review will take account of the relevant data on the properties of the products, as well as the properties of glyphosate as the active substance. Product authorisations will only be renewed if the assessment of the scientific evidence concludes that the formulated product will not harm people or pose unacceptable risks to the environment.