Sheep Dip Compounds: Advice to Farmers (Hansard, 13 March 1992)

§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Employment (Viscount Ullswater)
My Lords, the Government have already issued advice to farmers on the safe use of these potentially dangerous substances. At the start of the 1991 sheep dipping season the Health and Safety Executive issued a free leaflet entitled Sheep Dipping—protect your health. The Veterinary Medicines Directorate also issued complementary guidance on the safe handling and disposal of sheep dip. Copies of these documents are in the Library of the House. In addition, information on the wearing of protective equipment and the safe use of sheep dips must be printed on the product label.

§ Baroness Masham of Ilton
My Lords, I thank the Minister for that reply. Is he aware that in recent years many people have started to keep a few sheep of rare breeds, causing a great deal of interest? Some people keep just a few to mow their lawns or to graze in their orchards. These people use other people's sheep dip and may not know of the dangers. Can something be done to provide the information to a wider number of people in the community?

§ Viscount Ullswater
My Lords, of course I understand the anxiety of the noble Baroness, especially concerning those who keep only a few sheep. However, it would be highly irresponsible if a farmer or contractor passed on sheep dip not in its container. The labelling on the container gives the required information for the safety of the operator.

§ Baroness Turner of Camden
My Lords, is the Minister aware that as long ago as 1961 the Lancet published an article outlining the dangers involved in these compounds? Why has it taken so long for anything to be done about it? Is he also aware that the effects of the poisoning can be quite disastrous for people? Will he tell us whether the disease which must affect farm workers engaged in sheep dipping is a prescribed disease under the industrial injuries legislation?

§ Viscount Ullswater
My Lords, we have been aware of the potential dangers of sheep dip over a number of years. The sale and supply of sheep dip is controlled by the Medicines Act 1968, so the anxiety has been known for some time.
1490 There is a voluntary scheme for reporting incidents involving veterinary medicines, including sheep dips, to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, which is the licensing authority. However, there is also a legal requirement to report confirmed organo-phosphorus poisonings to the Health and Safety Executive. That is under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985.

§ Lord Cockfield
My Lords, on the basis that prevention is better than cure, does my noble friend know whether there are any effective sheep dips which do not contain these dangerous substances? If so, will the Government give encouragement to their marketing? If not, will they give encouragement to the development, marketing and use of such other substances?

§ Viscount Ullswater
My Lords, my noble friend raises an important point. Of the 19 approved sheep dips for the treatment and prevention of sheep scab —because that is what we are talking about—17 have the organo-phosphorus compounds as active ingredients. The other two are based on flumethrin, which, although effective against sheep scab, is not effective against blowfly strike. That is one of the problems that sheep farmers have to face in the summer months.

§ Lord John-Mackie
My Lords, is the Minister aware that one of the difficulties is that sheep dip tanks are very big and hold a lot of water containing the dip. Getting rid of the dip safely is not easy. I have experience of sheep dipping in the hills where farmers used to think, "What harm can it do here?", and they used to tip it out. On one such occasion the dip went down the stream and into the water supply for quite a big area. The problem has been solved to a certain extent by spraying rather than dipping. However, it is difficult to get rid of the dip at the end of the work.

§ Viscount Ullswater
Yes, my Lords, the noble Lord is quite right. Disposal of the spent dip should be carried out in an environmentally acceptable manner. Another leaflet prepared by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate on the safe handling and disposal of sheep dips should be consulted. If the dip is spread on grassland, care must be taken as the substances used in sheep dip are especially toxic to birds, including domestic geese, poultry, ducks and even pheasants. Access by stock should be restricted for at least one month.

§ Lord Elton
My Lords, would it be sensible if both leaflets were combined in one so that everyone who uses the dip could consult it?

§ Viscount Ullswater
My Lords, I am afraid that I did not catch the question.

§ Lord Elton
My Lords, I simply asked my noble friend whether it would be sensible if one leaflet covered all aspects of advice to users rather than several coming from different directions, some of which may miss their target.

§ Viscount Ullswater
My Lords, the leaflets cover the various aspects of using sheep dip. However, they mention the two areas I have referred to in some greater detail.

§ Baroness Turner of Camden
My Lords, am I to gather from the Minister's response to my question that the condition arising from the use of these compounds is not regarded as an industrial disease within the meaning of the industrial injuries legislation?

§ Viscount Ullswater
My Lords, as far as I am aware that is the case, but I shall make certain of that and if I am wrong I shall write to the noble Baroness.

§ Viscount Mersey
My Lords, will my noble friend confirm that the chemical used in sheep dip is similar to the chemical used in nerve gas? Is my noble friend satisfied with the labelling of sheep dip? Is there, for instance, a skull and crossbones marked on each container? Do farmers pay much attention to the labelling?

§ Viscount Ullswater
My Lords, I am afraid I cannot tell my noble friend whether containers are marked with a skull and crossbones. Such a marking would indicate the substance was poisonous and the sheep dip we are discussing is certainly not subject to the regulations on poisons. I can confirm that the symptoms suffered by people who come into contact with this sheep dip are similar to those caused by nerve gas in that the central nervous system is attacked. However, the symptoms may not necessarily be severe. Many farmers have called the symptoms "post dipping flu" and have recovered from them quite quickly.

§ Baroness Masham of Ilton
My Lords, is the Minister aware that some farmers have had to go out of business as a result of the effects of this sheep dip? Some have become paralysed as a result of contact with the sheep dip and others have suffered loss of memory and depression. How does the chemical affect sheep?

§ Viscount Ullswater
My Lords, I am aware that there have been reports in the press which suggest that some people have been affected by contact with this sheep dip and have had to go out of business. Obviously I regret that very much. The Health and Safety Executive carried out a regional survey in the South West in October 1990 which studied the risks of coming into contact with organo-phosphorus sheep dip. The results of the biological tests did not indicate that operators or bystanders had absorbed significant quantities of the substance. I understand that the use of the material at the recommended dilution rates has no observable effects on dipped sheep.