Citation

Butler Ellis MC, van de Zande JC, van den Berg F, Kennedy MC, O'Sullivan CM, Jacobs CM, Fragkoulis G, Spanoghe P, Gerritsen-Ebben R, Frewer LJ, Charistou A. Biosyst. Eng. 2017; 154: 92-104.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Institution of Agricultural Engineers, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.biosystemseng.2016.08.017

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

New models have been developed, with the aim of improving the estimate of exposure of residents and bystanders to agricultural pesticides for regulatory purposes. These are part of a larger suite of models also covering operators and workers. The population that is modelled for residents and bystanders relates to people (both adults and children) who have no association with the application (i.e. not occupational exposure) but are adjacent to the treated area during and/or after the application process. The scenarios that the models aim to describe are based on consideration of both best practice and of real practice, as shown in surveys and from expert knowledge obtained in stakeholder consultations. The work has focused on three causes of exposure identified as having potential for improvement: boom sprayers, orchard sprayers and vapour emissions. An overview of the models is given, and a description of model input values and proposed defaults. The main causes of uncertainty in the models are also discussed. There are a number of benefits of the BROWSE model over current models of bystander and resident exposure, which includes the incorporation of mitigation measures for reducing exposure and the use of probabilistic modelling to avoid an over-conservative approach. It is expected that the levels of exposure that the BROWSE model predicts will, in some cases, be higher than those predicted by the current UK regulatory model. This is largely because the modelled scenarios have been updated to account for current practice and current scientific knowledge.

Language: en

Keywords

Boom sprayer; Orchard sprayer; Spray drift; Vapour drift