Sir, - With concern, the Green Party/Comhaontas Glas notes that "significant pesticide contamination of fruit and vegetables is occurring here" (Irish Times, March 20th). The vast majority of these cases was noted to be within safe limits. How safe are the safe limits?
The International Centre for Pesticide Safety, in a 1995 report, found that "in spite of a relative abundance of scientific literature on health effects related to pesticide exposure, firm conclusions are very difficult to draw for most of the investigated compounds".
Pesticides are designed to be hazardous. We call for a register of diseases thought to be due to pesticide exposure and we exhort consumers, where possible, to buy organic fruit and vegetables or attempt to grow their own produce. - Yours, etc.,
Spokesperson on Health,
The Green Party/
Comhaontas Glas,
Mountcharles,
Co Donegal.