Increase in Pesticide Use at Golf Courses Due to Weather Anomalies... Is It Safe If Not 'Maengdokseong'?

If Not a Highly Toxic Pesticide Designated by the Rural Development Administration, Regulations on 'Usage Amount' Are 'Loose'
Due to the Lack of Pesticide Residue Standards Applicable to Soil and Water Quality at Domestic Golf Courses

[Asia Economy Reporter Byun Seon-jin] “During the rainy season in July and August, pesticides are applied an average of 4 to 5 times per week, but this year the intervals have become noticeably shorter.”

This is the statement of Mr. A, who manages the turf at a golf course in Gyeonggi-do. Typically, golf courses apply pesticides about 2 to 3 times a week to prevent damage from pests and weeds, but during the rainy season, the amount used inevitably increases, he explained. Mr. A said, “If the weather is forecasted as ‘clear’ and pesticides are applied, but then sudden heavy rain pours down, it all goes to waste,” adding, “As weather predictions become more difficult year by year, pesticide usage inevitably increases.”

The amount of pesticides used at domestic golf courses is steadily increasing. This is due to the increasing frequency of weather forecasts being off because of abnormal weather phenomena.

Increasing Pesticide Use at Domestic Golf Courses... Highest Level Since 2020 Statistics Compilation

As the number of golf courses in Korea increases, the total annual pesticide usage across all golf courses has also significantly risen. According to the Soil and Groundwater Information System (SGIS) on the 30th, the total pesticide usage at 541 domestic golf courses in 2020 was 202.1 tons, an 8.6% increase compared to the previous year (186.1 tons). This is the highest level since statistics have been available since 2010. The biggest reason is the 36.6% increase in the number of golf courses nationwide over the past 10 years, from 396 to 541.

The pesticide usage per golf course is also on the rise. In 2010, pesticide usage per hectare at golf courses was 5.15 kg, but by 2020 it had increased by 33.0% to 6.85 kg. The number of pesticide product types, which was about 230, has also increased to around 280 to 290. An industry insider said, “In hot and humid environments, when it rains, the turf is more likely to become diseased and turn yellow,” adding, “After the rain stops, pesticides must be applied, and as climate uncertainty grows, pesticide usage has increased accordingly.”

Despite the increase in pesticide usage, there are no specific standards setting limits on pesticide amounts. The Rural Development Administration designates three highly toxic pesticides and seven pesticides banned for turf use, but the use of other pesticides is relatively unrestricted. According to the Ministry of Environment, there are no established pesticide residue tolerance standards for soil and water quality at domestic golf courses. A Ministry of Environment official said, “Data on what types and how much pesticide are used periodically each year must be submitted,” but added, “Apart from highly toxic and extremely toxic pesticides, there are no separate regulations on the levels at which legally approved pesticides should be used.”

Considered 'Low-Toxicity Pesticides' in Korea... But Classified as 'Highly Toxic' and Banned Overseas?

The problem is that pesticides widely used in Korea as ‘low-toxicity’ are sometimes banned overseas due to being classified as ‘highly toxic.’

The pesticide most used at domestic golf courses, ‘Chlorothalonil,’ was abruptly banned by the European Union (EU) in March 2019 because it causes DNA damage in fish and is difficult to break down, posing risks to drinking water. ‘Iprodione,’ the third most used pesticide at domestic golf courses, was also removed from the EU’s approved pesticide list in 2017, seven years after its approval in 2010, due to concerns about groundwater contamination.

Professor Cho Won-chul, Emeritus Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Yonsei University, said, “Because pesticides inherently have ‘toxicity,’ if the ‘absolute amount’ flowing into rivers increases, it leads to various environmental problems such as fish deaths and algal blooms,” advising, “It is worth considering a shift to ‘total quantity regulation’ of pesticide usage.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.