Norfolk farmers have been offered a way to safely dispose of slug-killing chemicals to avoid a spike in water pollution before a ban is enforced next spring.
Metaldehyde slug pellets are set to be banned for outdoor use from the end of March 2022.
Although harmless to humans, the chemical is very difficult to remove at water treatment works, making it a significant challenge for water companies to hit tough EU targets for drinking supplies.
Anglian Water (AW) is concerned that farmers may choose to use up any remaining stocks before the ban deadline, rather than waste their products or pay for costly disposal.
So an amnesty has been arranged as part of the company's Slug it Out campaign - offering free disposal and alternative slug control products to farmers in the Wensum and Wissey river catchments.
AW has announced that AF Group (formerly Anglia Farmers) and CropCo are now ready to start collecting and replacing metaldehyde products for free to farmers who farm land within the River Wensum and River Wissey catchments.
Rob Holland, a catchment advisor for Anglian Water, said metaldehyde was difficult to remove using current treatment methods, so it raises the risk of contaminating water supply.
He said: "The amnesty is aiming to remove all metaldehyde products from the two river abstraction areas to ensure water quality continues to meet drinking water standards, and remove the temptation for farmers to use up metaldehyde stocks before the ban at the end of March 2022."
Farmers working on land in these two catchments have been urged to get in touch with one of the two operators to register quantities, and arrange collection and replacement at no cost.
They can contact CropCo on 01787 238200 or orders@cropco.co.uk, or AF members can contact cropprotection@theafgroup.co.uk or call 01603 881 906.
The ban on the outdoor use of metaldehyde, which is used to control slugs in agricultural crops including potatoes, cereals and oilseed rape – as well as in domestic gardens – follows advice from the UK Expert Committee on Pesticides and the Health and Safety Executive that metaldehyde poses an unacceptable risk to birds and mammals.
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