Abstract
A study in Veneto, Northern Italy, revealed significant pesticide exposure in residential gardens near vineyards and agricultural zones, showing over 70% of sampled gardens each year had detectable pesticide levels, contrary to expectations. Despite safety measures and EU guidelines, findings suggest inadequate protection against pesticide drift, with notable detections of Folpet-phthalimide among others. The research, encompassing various agricultural settings in Verona province, involved a detailed cross-sectional survey over 2021 and 2022, assessing pesticide dispersion through leaf sampling. The study found that over 70% of the sampled gardens each year contained one or more pesticides where none should be present. The median number of pesticides detected was 2 in 2021 and 1 in 2022. No significant differences were observed in pesticide presence between the July 2021 and July 2022 samples, or across the different months in 2022. Folpet-phthalimide was the most detected pesticide. Additionally, a small percentage of samples near cultivated fields contained pesticides with established toxicity, violating regional regulations, while a significant portion within 30 meters contained pesticides with potential but unconfirmed toxicity. The study advocates for stricter enforcement of pesticide regulations, increased community engagement in monitoring, and alignment with broader European environmental strategies to ensure a balanced approach to agricultural productivity and public health.