Pesticides from farming leach into world’s waterways at rate of 710 tonnes a year, UN research shows

While less than 0.1% of pesticides used in agriculture end up in river systems, the researchers note it is a cause of ‘decreased species richness’. Photograph: Peter Cade/Getty Images

Agricultural pesticides leach far from their original sources into the world’s waterways, according to new research which finds pesticides exceed safe levels in 13,000km of rivers globally.

Analysing 92 of the most common agricultural pesticides, scientists have estimated that 710 tonnes of pesticide active ingredients leach into the world’s oceans each year.