How do pesticides get into oysters?
Walking along estuaries in NSW, one finds that most oysters have been 'harvested' by very hungry people. And no, not by oystercatchers.

"Pesticide residue from farms and towns is ending up in fresh oysters. Most of the herbicides, insecticides and fungicides we found are used routinely by farmers, land managers and council workers."

"Four pesticides – atrazine, diuron, hexazinone and metolachlor – were found in concentrations above safe environmental limits for fresh and marine water.
The sheer number of different pesticides we found in oysters was perhaps the biggest concern for lovers of oysters. Five of these – pebulate, vernolate, fosetyl Al, benomyl and prothiofos – have residue limits set at zero for meat."
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https://theconversation.com/pesticide-residue-from-farms-and-towns-is-ending-up-in-fresh-oysters-219395
#oysters #seafood #food #rivers #RichmondRiver #PesticideHub #NSW #pesticides #mangroves #sugarcane #runoff #TheGreatBarrierReef #water #ocean #coast #wildlife #oystercatcher #toxins #OneHealth

A cocktail of nasty pesticides in oysters and water in one of the NSW North Coast’s dominant rivers.

"New research led by Southern Cross University has found a cocktail of nasty pesticides in oysters and water from one of the NSW North Coast’s dominant rivers. Samples taken from the Richmond River estuary reveal 21 different pesticides, including a mix of herbicides, insecticides and fungicides. The study is the most comprehensive investigation that has been undertaken into the pesticides entering waterways from agricultural and urban run-off in northern NSW"

"The concentrations of several pesticides exceeded safe environmental guidelines, including atrazine and diuron that are banned overseas. Benomyl was also detected despite being banned in Australia...At present there is little accountability for the downstream impacts from land-based run-off.”
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https://www.scimex.org/newsfeed/that-really-shucks-pesticide-pollution-threatens-shellfish-safety
#NSW #coast #pollution #pesticides #RichmondRiver #BoambeeCreek #rivers #drains #oysters #food #seafood #CumulativeRisks #wildlife #ocean #estuaries