CHEMICALS highly harmful to wildlife and human health are widespread in England’s rivers, research published today has found.

Neonicotinoid pesticides, which are lethal for bees, have been found in 85 per cent of tested rivers, according to analysis by the Rivers Trust and Wildlife & Countryside Link.

The groups looked at Environment Agency data on rivers tested between 2023 to 2024.

All five of the neonicotinoids analysed for were detected at sites on the River Waveney and River Wensum in the east Midlands, but only 27 sites were tested, compared with 43 in 2020-22, signalling strained resources at the environmental regulator. 

According to experts at the University of Sussex, a single teaspoon of the pesticide is enough to kill 1.25 billion bees.

Neonicotinoid pesticides have already been restricted in Britain, but have been granted “emergency” authorisations every year since 2021. 

During its election campaign, Labour pledged to fully ban the chemicals, which have already been prohibited in the EU. 

But British Sugar and the National Farmers’ Union have applied for authorisation to use a type of neonicotinoid on sugar beet crops to combat yellow virus.

Barnaby Coupe, senior land use policy manager at the Wildlife Trusts, warned: “Pollinating insects like bees are the foundation of a healthy ecosystem and essential for pollinating crops.

“These chemicals are banned because they are extremely harmful for soils, water, wildlife and human health.

“The evidence is clear that the environmental risks from neonicotinoids are far too great: there is no place in modern society for them to be used.”

A Defra spokesperson claimed: “This government has been clear that we will change existing policies to ban the use of neonicotinoid pesticides that threaten bees and other vital pollinators.”