Complaints to the Pesticide safety Directorate

In a Parliamentary question from Paul Burstow MP:

How many incidents the Pesticides Safety Directorate has recorded regarding manure contaminated by aminopyralid in the last 12 months?

The following answer was given:
Mr. Woolas: The first inquiry relating to the potential effects of aminopyralid in manure was received by the Pesticides Safety Directorate’s helpline on 12 March 2008. Around 70 inquiries had been received up to 9 July 2008, primarily from amateur gardeners and allotment holders. It is not known how many reports of damage to crops are attributable to aminopyralid.

This seems to be a very low number when compared to the information that we have received about how many people suspect that they have been affected. Some reports such as ours have been made on behalf of a whole group of allotments. I don't know whether reports to DOW are counted in this figure. The PSD website may put you off making a report directly to them as it seems to imply that you need to trace back your source before contacting DOW for advice. Tracing the source and proving contamination of your manure supply is often impossible. Where you have strong circumstantial evidence i.e. symptoms match those described or the RHS have confirmed and you have applied a manure product then it would help the PSD to acquire the full picture. To email PSD information@psd.hse.gsi.gov.uk

You may also wish to involve your MP and/or MEP in your problem. If you do not know their contact you can acquire this infomation from the Write to Them web site click here You don't need to be personally affected to register your concern. The more people that we can have working on a resolution to prevent a reoccurrence of this problem the better!