MEPs back toxic pesticide ban despite industry pressure

In the face of strong opposition from agribusiness and industry, MEPs have backed a ban on toxic pesticides.

On Wednesday (5 November) deputies in the European Parliament's environment committee voted on two legislative proposals from the commission, one on approval of pesticides and the other aiming to reduce their use across the EU.

The committee backed 39 to 20, with six abstentions, a cross-party compromise that would see a list of chemical ingredients - or 'active substances'...