Pesticides have been used for decades to protect plants against weeds, pests and diseases. When pesticides are sprayed on plants, pesticide residues may leach through the soil into groundwater or remain on food. Pesticide use can therefore have adverse effects on the environment and human health.
The purpose of the study is to assess whether the Ministry of Environment’s inspections of pesticide use are satisfactory. Rigsrevisionen answers the following questions in the report:
- Does the Danish Environmental Protection Agency have an adequate basis for its inspections?
- Is the Danish Environmental Protection Agency’s risk-based selection of businesses for inspection adequate?
- Does the Danish Environmental Protection Agency carry out effective inspections of pesticide use?
Rigsrevisionen assesses that the Ministry of Environment’s inspections of pesticide use are highly unsatisfactory. The inspections have only limited capacity to detect infringements, and in a number of cases there are no consequences when businesses report infringements of their own accord. The Danish Environmental Protection Agency’s selection of businesses for inspection is insufficiently risk-based. There is therefore a risk that excessive pesticide use or the use of illegal pesticides will go undetected and unsanctioned. As a consequence, illegal pesticides or excessive quantities of approved pesticides may leach into groundwater or end up in food.
Rigsrevisionen has monitored this area since publishing its report on protection of groundwater from pesticides in 2019 (report no. 7/2019). Rigsrevisionen initiated this study in January 2026.