Function
The Campaign centres on the issue of pesticide exposure for people in agricultural areas. Downs conducted her own research into the problem and discovered that farmers are not legally obliged to inform nearby residents of the type of chemicals used, nor how dangerous they are. Yet, these same farmers have to adhere to any safety regulations when using the chemicals, such as wearing protective clothing. Although laws exist to limit the amount of pesticide residues in soils and plants, no laws exist to protect the public from the spraying of pesticides.
The Campaign has gained support from members of the public in rural areas who have suffered illness due to their proximity to farms that use pesticides, from organisations related to environmental concerns, and from awards organisations that honour outstanding achievement. Downs now has a database of nearly one thousand cases of people living in areas where pesticides are used regularly.
The UK Pesticides Campaign has gained media exposure since its inception, with newspaper, TV, and radio reports and interviews in the UK.
The Campaign is not alone in its pursuit of tighter regulations, with there being similar concerns about pesticide use in other countries such as the United States, and within the EU.
Read more about this topic: UK Pesticides Campaign
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—Robert Frost (1874–1963)