In the first investigation of its kind, PAN Europe, together with Greenpeace Germany, Mouvement pour le Droit et le Respect des Générations Futures (MDRGF) and Global 2000, purchased 40 bottles of wine from retail outlets across the EU and sent them to commercial laboratories to be analysed for the presence of pesticides.
Every bottle of conventional wine contained pesticides. On average four different pesticides were detected per bottle. Sixteen conventional wines contained EU-classified carcinogens, mutagens or endocrine disruptors. Fourteen others contained substances recognised as ‘likely’ or ‘possible’ carcinogens by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
Three of the wines containing pesticides were produced by world famous chateaux in Bordeaux, including three Grand cru classés. Five bottles of organic wine included in the analysis were entirely free of pesticide residues.
Judged against EU standards on drinking water, none of the conventional wines would have been approved for human consumption. On average, pesticides were present at levels 230 times higher than legally permitted in drinking water.
These results suggest that pesticides are commonplace and widespread among samples of conventional wine. This scenario is supported by a study from the French Ministry of Agriculture which documented the systematic transfer of pesticides into wines.
One third of the pesticides detected in the conventional wines were not used in European grape production prior to 1994. A further 30% of residues relate to classes of pesticide whose use in grape production has escalated substantially over the same period.
The application of synthetic pesticides to European vineyards has increased by 27% since 1994. Grapes now receive a higher dose of synthetic pesticides (active substances) than any other major crop, except citrus. Two grams of synthetic pesticides are applied for every three kilos of grapes harvested.
Grapes rank among the most contaminated fruits sold in the European Union. According to data from the European Commission, some 57% of grapes contain at least one pesticide, while an additional 5% contain pesticides above legal limits.
The EU is the world’s largest wine producer, accounting for over two thirds of global production. EU wine exports generate €5.5 billion in revenues per annum and represent 11.6% of the EU’s agricultural sales. Italy, France and Spain account for two thirds of wines traded internationally.
These findings present a compelling case for the elimination of hazardous pesticides from use in food production and their replacement by less toxic and non-chemical alternatives.