8.12 Plant Protection Products

For the first time in 2022 the CSO issues a release on plant protection products. The release contained data on sales of active substances contained in plant protection products placed on the market in Ireland annually from 2011 onwards. These substances are classified as:

Fungicides and bactericides; M

Herbicides, haulm destructors and moss killers; M

Insecticides and acaricides; M

Molluscicides; M

Plant growth regulators; and M

Other plant protection products. M

The data are expressed in measurement units of tonnes of active substances. The release also contained data on Harmonised Risk Indicator 1 (HRI1). Harmonised risk indicators are used to measure progress achieved in relation to the sustainable use of pesticides. HRI1 is an index calculated by categorising the active substances in plant protection products into four groups based on the level of risk associated with each product, applying hazard weightings to the four groups, and taking as a base the average value for the period 2011-2013.

The 2023 release Plant Protection Products 2021 highlighted that the HRI1 for pesticides decreased 37% between 2011 and 2020. HRI1 was at its highest value between 2011-2020 at 120 in 2000 and dropped as low as 69 in 2018, before rising to 77 in 2019 and falling slightly in 2020 back to 76.

HRI1

140

120

Figure 8.6 Harmonised Risk Indicator 1 for Pesticides, 2011-2020

100

80

60

40

20

0

Source: CSO

Herbicides, also commonly known as weed killers, were the predominant type of plant protection product sold in Ireland in each year from 2011 to 2021. In 2021, active substances in herbicides made up 76% of total active substances in plant protection products.

Fungicides and plant growth regulators were the next most prevalent types of plant protection product sold in the decade up to 2021. Active substances in fungicides were 14% of the total in 2021, while active substances in plant growth regulators were 9% of the total.

Active substances in molluscicides (for control of pests such as snails and slugs) comprised less than 1% of total active substances in plant protection product sales in each year from 2011 to 2021, while active substances in insecticides made up less than 1% of the total from 2019 to 2021 and less than 2% of the total from 2011 to 2018.

Tonnes of Active Substances

4,000

Figure 8.7 Tonnes of Active Substances in Plant Protection Products by Product Group, 2011-2021

3,500

3,000

2,500

2,000

1,500

1,000

500

0

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

Herbicides Fungicides Insecticides Plant Growth Regulators Molluscicides Other Plant Growth Regulators

Source: CSO

Figure from page 272