Reflections on bird and mammal risk assessment for plant protection products in the European Union: Past, present, and future

Abstract

The use of plant protection products on agricultural crops can result in exposure of birds and mammals to toxic chemicals. In the European Union, the risks from such exposures are assessed under the current (2009) guidance document from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), designed to increase the realism of the theoretical risk assessments in comparison to its predecessor (SANCO/4145/2000). Since its adoption over 7 yr ago, many plant protection products have been evaluated successfully using the 2009 EFSA guidance document. However, there are still significant areas of improvement recommended for future revisions of this guidance. The present Focus article discusses experiences to date with the current scheme, including levels of conservatism in input parameters and interpretation by regulatory authorities together with proposals for how the guidance document could be improved when it is revised in the not too distant future. Several areas for which further guidance is recommended have been identified, such as the derivation of ecologically relevant bird and mammal reproductive endpoints and the use of modeling approaches to contextualize risk assessments. Areas where existing databases could be improved were also highlighted, including the collation of relevant focal species across Europe and expansion of the residue database for food items. To produce a realistic and useable guidance document in the future, it is strongly recommended that there is open and constructive communication between industry, regulatory authorities, and the EFSA. Such collaboration would also encourage harmonization between member states, thus reducing workloads for both industry and regulatory authorities. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:565-575. © 2017 SETAC.

Risk assessment for Birds and Mammals

“…In many cases, this may mean that an endpoint set by the mammalian toxicology section is not relevant for the ecotoxicology section. The WG is aware that significant discussion is typically devoted to this point and that as a result of the wide variety of tests and expertise available, it is a point which may be sensitive to inconsistent decision‐making (Brooks et al., 2017; Brooks, 2020). As a result, we have endeavoured to provide more clear guidance for consideration of the ecological relevance of endpoints available in the mammalian toxicology section of the dossier in the section below, as well as providing a short summary of the available tests, for the ecotoxicology assessor unfamiliar with the mammalian toxicology section.…”

Predicted Dermal and Dietary Exposure of Bats to Pesticides

“…Wild birds and mammals that feed in agricultural habitats are potentially exposed to pesticides through various routes (Brooks et al, 2017). The risks to wildlife from exposure to pesticides are assessed in the European Union (EU) under the current regulation (Regulation, 1107(Regulation, /2009European Commission, 2009) for the active substances and formulated plant protection products (PPPs).…”

Assessing the Risks to Bats from Plant Protection Products: A Review of the Recent European Food Safety Authority Statement Regarding Toxicity and Exposure Routes

“…Wild birds and mammals that feed in agricultural habitats are potentially exposed to pesticides through various routes (Brooks et al, 2017 ). The risks to wildlife from exposure to pesticides are assessed in the European Union under the current regulation concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market (European Commission [EC], 2009 ).…”