Average total concentration of pesticides in surface water in the Vemmenhög catchment area vs applied amounts analysed (1992-2018)

The vertical bars represent the time-weighted mean concentration of active substances as measured during the period May to September of each year between 1992 and 2018 (except only May to June in 1993). The dots represents the total amount of active substances (of those analysed) that were applied on field in the Vemmenhög area during the same period (1992-2018). The two vertical lines show that the first significant reduction in the concentration of active substances occurred in 1995, following the onset of the provision of site-specific guidance to farmers on how to prevent the release of pesticides to local surface waters. The second fall in pesticide levels was seen in 1998, after the implementation of economic incentives by the government and industry.

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Methodology

The average total pesticide concentrations found in surface waters is presented as Time Weighted Mean Concentration between the months of May to September of each year (with the exclusion of 1993, which was only between May and June). The water was sampled with an ISCO machine. Weekly samples consisting of around 100 subsamples were collected. The data on applied amounts of the analysed pesticides are presented as (kg/year), and were collected from interviews with farmers in the catchment area. Of all the substances used in the catchment area, more than 90% of the amounts applied on field consist of the substances that were analysed. The applied amounts of non-analysed substances were not included in the chart.

Units

Migrogram per liter (µg/l) and kg/year

Average total concentration of pesticides in surface water in the Vemmenhög catchment area vs applied amounts analysed (1992-2018)

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References and footnotes