Australia fails to adequately monitor effect of agricultural chemicals in humans, report finds

The federal government has no suitable data source for monitoring the effect of agricultural and veterinary chemicals on humans, a new report commissioned by the Department of Agriculture has found.

Agricultural and veterinary (agvet) chemicals are used to protect crops, livestock and domestic animals; safeguard the environment from weeds and pests; and meet consumer needs for things such as insecticides and pool chemicals.

The report confirms that Australia lacks basic data to assess the effect of agricultural chemicals on the environment and human health. Only one study on human bio-monitoring was found, dating back to 2005.

There are also no national sources of data on pesticides in groundwater, urban stormwater, drinking water, soil, or in wildlife, the researchers found.

The only long-term monitoring of pesticides in the environment was as part of the protection of the Barrier Reef and it was limited to 22 pesticides.

Monitoring of pesticides in food is better, the researchers said, thanks to the long-running National Residue Survey for exported meat and some agricultural products and the Total Diet Survey, which last screened for pesticides in 2019.

But the researchers noted monitoring of domestically sold fruit and vegetables, conducted by fresh food markets and supermarket chains, was confidential.