Risk Assessment
EFSA Concerns With Regard To The UK In The Context Of The Risk Assessment Of Pesticides, Guidance On The Evaluation Of The Exposure Of Operators, Workers, Residents, And Bystanders Is Provided
On October 23, 2014, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published a new Guidance document that, for the first time, standardised the method for calculating the exposure to plant protection products (PPPs) for four major social groups: operators, workers, residents, and bystanders. This was a significant step forward in the process of harmonising this method.
As some background, Regulation (EC) 1107/2009 ensures that pesticide residues, which are the result of applying pesticides and must be done so in accordance with good plant protection practises, do not pose a threat to human health or the environment. In order to accomplish this goal, the European Food Safety Authority's Panel on Plant Protection Products and their Residues (PPPR) drafted a Scientific Opinion on the exposure to pesticides of the aforementioned groups in 2010. This was followed by additional developments and a public consultation beginning in this year. Inconsistencies in the approach taken by regulatory authorities in the various Member States were uncovered by the Scientific Opinion. Within this framework, the experts at the EFSA have formulated the current Guidelines for the organisation
The methodology that is outlined in the document is intended to provide assistance to industry applicants and risk assessors in the process of evaluating the risks that are posed to individuals who come into contact with pesticides as part of their work or who are in other ways physically close to these substances (e.g. living areas close to fields where pesticides are used). In particular, the Guidelines investigate the non-dietary exposure to these chemicals, focusing primarily on the absorption of chemicals through the skin and the respiratory tract, in addition to the possibility of chemical transfer from the hands to the mouth.
The following is a condensed version of the characteristics of the four population groups that the Exposure Guidelines take into consideration:
Operators are professional farmers who carry out activities connected with the application of pesticides. These activities include mixing and loading pesticides into agricultural machinery, as well as cleaning, emptying, or repairing such machinery. Operators are also responsible for maintaining a clean and safe working environment.
Workers are defined as individuals who, as part of their job responsibilities, either work with crops that have been treated with pesticides or enter an area that has been treated with the chemicals in the past.
Residents are people who live, work, or attend school in close proximity to areas where PPPs are used and who do not wear any protective gear that would prevent them from being exposed to the particles.
Bystanders are individuals who may be in the vicinity of an area that has been treated with pesticides but who have not taken any protective measures.
According to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the majority of the exposure scenarios for the four groups fall into a category of a standardised first tier risk assessment that should be applied in accordance with the recommendations made in the guidance document. When dealing with circumstances that are not covered by the proposed methods, risk assessors should use ad hoc approaches that are dependable and grounded in reality. Clearly, and as the authority acknowledges, there are still some uncertainties in the document (for example, a lack of data for assessment of residents' exposure); as a result, research institutes and scientists from Member States are encouraged to contribute to an ongoing review of the Guidelines.
You can find here the Guidance on the assessment of exposure of operators, workers, residents, and bystanders that is required for risk assessment for plant protection products.
The purpose of the information contained in this article is to serve as a general introduction to the topic at hand. It is highly recommended that you consult an expert regarding the specifics of your situation.
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