£6 million awarded to explore impact of pesticides and chemicals

Researchers have been awarded £6 million to investigate the effects of potentially hazardous chemicals, such as pesticides, on UK habitats and wildlife.

A workshop co-hosted by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), including representatives from Government, regulation and industry, concluded that vital research needs to be done to understand the impact of new chemicals and combinations.

With new chemicals constantly being used in agriculture, industry and everyday life, the research not only hopes to uncover unforeseen effects but also to devise new ways to test their impacts.