Special Lunch Session 2 - May 20

Residential exposure to pesticides in the Netherlands and beyond

Organisers: Roel Vermeulen (IRAS), Jan Duyzer (TNO), Rianda Gerritsen-Ebben (TNO)

The application of plant protection products (PPPs) in the vicinity of homes has raised much public concern and discussion regarding the possible health effects to people living in close vicinity to agricultural land (residents) in the Netherlands. The Dutch government commissioned an exposure study. In the exposure study that took place in the period 2015-2018 the aim was to assess the exposure to the exposure to active substances of PPPs for persons living in close vicinity to agricultural land on which PPPs are (intensively) applied. In the study data was collected using a well-designed sampling frame and data was collected regarding emission strength of PPPs and their active substances from fields, outdoor and indoor concentrations, and finally biomonitoring of persons living in close vicinity to selected crops. Selected households were those residing within several pre-defined distance categories to the fields. Deterministic and statistical models were used to interpret the monitoring results of the study and extrapolate this research, allowing for the estimation of exposure to active substances in situations for which no measurements are available.

The aim of the lunch session is to exchange information about the OBO project and to discuss the results in the light of other initiatives worldwide and to advise on upcoming projects on residential exposure.

Partners of the OBO project will be encouraged to submit abstracts of their research in the relevant IUPAC sessions.