Assessing the risk of plant protection products for the aquatic environment

5 July 2018 10:00-16:00, York, United Kingdom


Introduction
Assessing the risk of Plant Protection Products for the Aquatic Environment

Fera, Sand Hutton, UK
Thursday 5 July 2018
Organised by SCI's Agrisciences Group and Environment, Health and Safety Group and Fera


Synopsis
There is currently an initiative to drive forward transitions in predictions of how the environment and its functioning will respond to chemical exposure, with a particular focus in the UK following the National Environment Research Council’s call for proposals entitled ‘Emerging Risks of Chemicals in the Environment’. The underpinning premise of this call was to find ways to make the ecological relevance of methodologies and sustainability of ecosystems more central to risk assessment and monitoring programmes. It sought to better understand the relative importance of chemical stressors and other stressors, and also to improve the characterisation of the impacts of stressors on ecosystem services by developing more holistic, relevant and cost-effective approaches.

The relevance of the approaches used for risk assessment is a continuing regulatory, policy and industry challenge, not least in the aquatic environment, even though this compartment has been subject to the longest and most intensive study. Various methodologies are currently employed to assess risk and monitor consequences, from intensive national surveys of biota (e.g. under the European Water Framework Directive), through expensive water sampling and chemical analysis programmes (e.g. the UK Water Industry Research Chemicals Investigation Programmes), to complex modelling strategies (e.g. the Forum for the Co-ordination of Pesticide Fate Models and their Use [FOCUS]) and trials to simulate risk to whole aquatic ecosystems (e.g. European Food Safety Authority guidance on Higher Tier Ecotoxicological hazard assessments).

Attendees
This workshop is an opportunity to hear about some of the problems encountered and solutions proposed by those working in the field of aquatic risk assessment. One such solution is currently under development by Fera Science Ltd and the Centre for Crop Health and Protection (CHAP): the Innovate UK funded E-Flows Mesocosm - the first fully flow-through field scale mesocosm for higher tier risk assessments. Linking subjects include passive chemical monitoring techniques, refinements in fate modelling approaches and genetic taxonomy methodologies.

The format for the day will be a series of presentations from industry, academia, government and consultancy, followed by lunch, a tour of the E-Flows mesocosm facility and a workshop to collect ideas from attendees.

Programme
10.00 Registration and refreshments
11.00 Speaker presentations
13.00 Networking and lunch
14.00 Tour of E-Flows Mesocosms
15.00 Feedback session
16.00 Close of meeting

Confirmed Speakers
The E-Flows Mesocosm - First fully flow-through field scale Mesocosm Facility
Dr Rachel Benstead, Fera Science Ltd

eDNA as a method for monitoring environmental change
Dr Neil Boonham, University of Newcastle

Passive sampling - an alternative approach for monitoring plant protection products and other chemicals in the aquatic environment
Prof Gary Fones, University of Portsmouth

An industry viewpoint on the use and interpretation of mesocosm studies
Dr Dan Pickford, Syngenta

Mesocosm studies and their use in pesticide regulatory risk assessments: A regulatory view point 
Chris Taylor, Chemicals Regulation Division (CRD, HSE)

Organising Committee

Robin Blake, SCI/ CSI (Compliance Services International)
Rachel Benstead, Fera
Jan Strelczenie, Fera
Prof K Clive Thompson, SCI/ ALS Laboratories Ltd

Venue
Fera
National Agri-food Innovation Campus 
Sand Hutton 
York 
YO41 1LZ

Delegate Fees

Early bird fees before Friday 8 June 2018

GB£25 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SCI Member
GB£35.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Non-Member

Standard fees after Friday 8 June 2018
GB£35.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SCI Member
GB£50.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Non-Member
Sponsorship & supporting organisations
Venue
Fera

Fera, National Agri-food Innovation Campus, Sand Hutton, York, YO41 1LZ, United Kingdom

Organised by
Contact information
Search
 
 
Showing all upcoming events
Start Date
End Date
Location
Subject area
Event type

Advertisement
Spotlight


E-mail Enquiry
*
*
*
*