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News
School fruit and vegetables
tested for pesticide residues
T
he Pesticide Residues Committee (PRC) today The Pesticide Residues Committee is an
published findings from the Department of independent body which advises the
Health’s School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme for Government, the Food Standards Agency and
Spring 2009. the Chemicals Regulation Directorate (CRD).
The second report for the school year 2008/9 Since 1 January 2005 the Chemicals Regulation
found that the fruit and vegetables supplied to Directorate (CRD) has been contracted by the
schools met legal standards with regard to Department of Health to undertake pesticide
pesticide residues levels and that the presence of residue monitoring of produce supplied under
residues would be unlikely to have any effect on the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme.
those who ate the food. The report contained CRD has requested that the
the results for apple, banana, carrot, pear and PRC consider the results and
soft citrus fruits. examine the risk assessments
The School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme (SFVS) from this monitoring.
supplies a wide range of fruit and vegetables to The MRL is the maximum
primary school children. Residues found are concentration of a pesticide
within European legal levels and the committee residue - expressed as
has looked carefully at the results and are milligrams per kilogram, or
satisfied in all cases the presence of the residues is parts per million - legally
unlikely to have an effect on health.. permitted in or on our food and
Chairman of the PRC, Dr Ian Brown, said: animal feeds. The levels are not
“These results should provide reassurance that safety limits, but are set at
the food supplied to schools as part of this levels, which protect the
scheme continues to be safe. I can understand consumer. They are primarily a
that some people have concerns about pesticide check that good agricultural
residues in their food, but as a doctor I cannot practice is being followed, and
over-emphasise the importance of continuing to an MRL exceedance does not
eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a automatically imply a risk to
day. Scientific evidence shows that the health health.
benefits for children and young people far
outweigh any concerns about pesticide residues.”
trianglertwww.pesticides.gov.uk
Charity launches free mental
Be bright and support brake
health guide for school staff
Brake is calling on nurseries, schools
and colleges to run a BrakeBright day
and pupils
on Friday 27th November to support
Brake, the national road safety charity,
by raising awareness about road safety.
Mental health charity Rethink Taking place on the Friday of
has launched a free guide to national Road Safety Week, Brake
help all school staff in England hopes that its BrakeBright day, which
support the mental health and sees participants donate £1 to wear
wellbeing of pupils. shockingly bright clothes in a dress
Week is all about encouraging local
The ‘Uthink Resource for down day with a difference, will help
awareness-raising community events
Schools’ includes information raise funds for its care work with
to stop deaths on roads, especially
on mental health and practical bereaved families and injured road
within schools.
advice on how schools and crash victims nationwide. Brake is an
Educators can request a FREE
teachers can help children and independent national road safety
resource pack: Simply go to the new-
young people aged 5 to 18 charity. Brake exists to stop the 8
look Road Safety Week website
maintain good mental health deaths and 79 serious injuries that
www.roadsafetyweek.org and click on
and wellbeing. happen on UK roads every day and
‘educators’ to order online your free
The guide looks at to care for families bereaved and
Road Safety Week poster pack and
definitions of mental health seriously injured in road crashes.
access some quick tips on ideas that
problems and disorders and Shockingly, every 10 minutes, a
are great for the Week. Whether you
gives ideas for helping pupils child or young person is killed or
decide to do science experiments on
who may be having difficulties.
produced by Uthink, the
injured on UK roads and the UK has
road safety themes such as the
The new pack also contains a
charity’s three-year pilot project
one of the worst death rates of
reflective properties of high visibility
series of factsheets for staff to
to support young people with
children on foot in western Europe.
vests, or paint a big poster covered in
give to pupils, covering how to
mental health problems The
A BrakeBright day is great way to
handprints to emphasise the
deal with stress and anxiety,
new guide can be downloaded
educate children about road safety
importance of holding hands to
the effects of drugs, alcohol
for free.
and also a great opportunity to take
children and parents, or run a
and food on mental health, part in national Road Safety Week
BrakeBright day, you can help save a
how to cope with exams and (23rd – 29th November). Organised
life by getting involved and having fun.
interviews and where to go for by Brake, the road safety charity, with
further help.
trianglertwww.rethink.org the support of the Department for
The new guide has been trianglert0845 456 0455 Transport and health care and road
safety company 3M, Road Safety
10
www.education-today.co.uk September 2009
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