§ Lord Rotherwickasked Her Majesty's Government:
What research has been carried out on the effects of a high dietary intake of copper on human health. [HL3252]
§ Lord WarnerThe safety of dietary copper was considered by the Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals (EVM) in 2003. It was noted that the evidence on the long-term effects of high levels of copper intake in humans is limited. However, the EVM concluded that the existing evidence indicates no adverse effects of high dietary intakes (7.5–10mg/day) of copper. A copy of the EVM report is available in the Library.
§ Lord Rotherwickasked Her Majesty's Government:
Why the level of copper permitted for use as a fungicide on organic crops is decreasing year-on-year; and what evidence there is of toxicity in copper-related crops to support this policy.[HL3251]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Whitty)The decreasing level of application of copper based pesticides has been set in the EU Organic Farming Regulation because the Commission and a number of member states are concerned that the regular 153WA use of copper fungicides leads to an accumulation of copper that can eventually effect soil biology and crops.
This is a long-term issue (it does not affect the current crop) which is one reason why it was agreed to be acceptable to have a programme of gradually reducing applications. This is intended to give the industry time to find alternatives. The effects of long-term copper use are widely documented in the scientific literature for example the following publication:
- Secondary and Micronutrients for Vegetables and Field Crops
- Extension Bulletin E-486, Revised August 1994
- By M. L. Vitosh, D. D. Warncke and R. E. Lucas
- Department of Crop and Soil Sciences
- Michigan State University
Problems occur principally on fixed crops such as vines that receive repeated treatments over time. In organic production in the UK, copper-based fungicides are used mainly on potatoes.
Newcastle University is leading a European-wide project to seek an alternative to copper.