 Some pollution in rivers in Wales has been blamed on dips |
Reducing river pollution from sheep dips is to be discussed by Environment Agency officials at a meeting in Devon on Friday. The agency said the way dips are being used is causing unacceptable problems in rivers in some parts of the country.
It is believed the pollution is caused by sheep walking through watercourses and the misuse and disposal of dips.
The concern centres around the new generation of chemicals that have replaced organophosphates (OPs).
The pesticides can also be released when fleeces are processed.
Stricter regulation
Sheep dipping controls pests like scab, blowfly, and ticks, but in some parts of the country, particularly Wales, dips are said to have caused pollution incidents in rivers.
Environment Agency spokesman Spence Seaman said because the SPs could have serious effects on fish populations, the agency was taking a precautionary approach.
On Friday agency officials from the south west will be discussing possible elements of a new national policy which could include revising the sheep dip code of practice for farmers, tougher regulation and more research.
The most draconian measure under consideration is phasing out some sheep dip chemicals.
Welfare unaffected
The agency has stressed it would not apply to all dips, and would not be at the expense of animal welfare.
OPs have been linked to poor health in farmers, but the new synthetic pyrethroids (SPs) are up to 1,000 times more toxic to aquatic life than OPs.
Earlier this month the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said although it was investigating alternatives to OPs, there was no conclusive proof that their long-term use posed a direct threat to health and would remain in use.
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