Plant protection products are pesticides that protect crops or other plants. Harmonised Risk Indicator 1 (HRI1) is an index calculated by applying hazard weightings to the active substances in plant protection products. HRI1 fell from 120 in 2011 to 76 in 2020, a decrease of 37% (see Figure 1 and Table 1).
HRI1 was at its highest value in the time period 2011-2020 at 120 and was lowest in 2018 at 69 (see Figure 1 and Table 1).
The total amount of active substances in plant protection products placed on the market in Ireland increased by 6% from 2020 to 2021, when it was 3,091 tonnes. This was a decrease of 16% compared with 2011 (see Table 2).
Herbicides were the main type of plant protection product sold in Ireland in 2021. Active substances in herbicides comprised 76% of total active substances in plant protection product sales (see Figure 2 and Table 2).
Fungicides and plant growth regulators were the next most common types of plant protection product sold in Ireland in 2021. Active substances in fungicides were 14% of total active substances in plant protection product sales while active substances in plant growth regulators accounted for 9% of the total (see Figure 2 and Table 2).
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Statistician's Comment
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today (29 March 2023) released Plant Protection Products 2021.
Commenting on the release, Clare O'Hara, Statistician in the Environment and Climate Division, said: "This release contains data on tonnes of active substances contained in plant protection products placed on the market in Ireland from 2011 to 2021. Plant protection products are pesticides that protect crops or other plants. They are primarily used in the agricultural sector to aid in the production of arable crops, fodder crops, grassland, vegetables, and fruit, but are also used in forestry, amenity areas, and private gardens.
Harmonised Risk Indicator 1
The release also contains data on Harmonised Risk Indicator 1 (HRI1) from 2011 to 2020. HRI1 is an index which indicates the trend in risks from pesticide use to human health and the environment. In 2011 HRI1 was 120 while in 2020 it was 76, a decrease of 37%. HRI1 was at its highest value in the time period 2011-2020 at 120 and was lowest in 2018 at 69.
HRI1 is calculated by categorising the active substances into groups based on the risk associated with each product, applying a hazard weighting and setting as a base (equal to 100) the average value for the period 2011-2013.
Amount of Active Substances
The amount of active substances in plant protection products sold in Ireland was at its highest during the period 2011-2021 in 2011 at 3,692 tonnes. In 2018 it was at its lowest level at 2,651 tonnes. It rose by 12% in 2019 before falling by 2% in 2020 to 2,910 tonnes. A 6% increase in 2021 saw the total amount reach 3,091 tonnes.
Active Substances by Type of Product
Herbicides 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 each year from 2011 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."