BROWSE contributions improving training and awareness Conference on Safe and Sustainable Use of Pesticides June 12 th – 13 th, 2012 in Sinaia, Romania Presentazione progetto di ricerca – Agrisystem Piacenza, Venerdy 11 maggio 2012 Ettore Capri Director of the OPERA Research Centre Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore

The Directive on Sustainable Use of Pesticides (SUD) In September 2009 the Council of the European Union adopted the so called Pesticides Package (PP) composed of: Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market which substitutes the Directive 91/414/EEC Directive 2009/128/EC establishing a framework for Community action to achieve the sustainable use of pesticides The Statistics Regulation 1185/2009/EC sets out rules for collecting information on the annual amounts of pesticides placed on the market and the annual amounts of pesticides used in each Member State. Directive 2009/127/EC amending Directive 2006/42/EC dealing with machinery for pesticide application

The SUD establishes a framework for achieving a sustainable use of pesticides by: -reducing the risks and impacts of pesticide use on human health and the environment, -promoting integrated pest management -promoting alternatives such as non-chemical ones. The main tools to extract value from the SUD are: -Professional education and information -Reduction of risks and preservation of natural resources -Integration of all available tools -Measuring the performance The Directive on Sustainable Use of Pesticides (SUD)

Training in the frame of the SUD art. 5 Member States shall ensure that all the professional users, distributors and advisors (including operators, technicians, employers and self-employed in agriculture and other sectors) have access to “appropriate training by bodies designated by the competent authorities”. Art 5, 9, 13 Training for professional users will be focused on: risks for operators, residents, bystanders, people using treated areas; measures to minimize risks for humans; procedures for storage, handling and disposal of pesticides; procedures for preparing pesticides application equipment; use of equipment. Art 8 Training for Operators will include hand-held equipment and knapsacks maintenance, specific risks, proper use of PPP’s.

art. 7 Member States should inform general public and facilitate awareness raising programmes and the availability of balanced information. art. 7 MSs shall ensure that general public receive “accurate and balanced information relating to the pesticides and in particular regarding the risks and the potential acute and chronic effects for human health, non target organisms and the environment”. art. 9 Furthermore they should ensure that in case of aerial spraying when derogations from the ban are given, residents and bystanders are wandered Awareness raising in the frame of the SUD

Bystanders, Residents, Operators and WorkerS Exposure models for plant protection products SEVENTH FRAMEWORK PROGRAMME Theme: Environment (including climate change) Project nr: January 2011 – 31 December 2013 Total budget 2.6m euro (EU contribution 2m) Project website: 6 The BROWSE project

Its main objective is to improve the assessment of risks for the people exposed to pesticide by delivering new and improved models of exposure operators workers residents bystanders thus improving the basis for targeting of risk reduction policy The BROWSE project

BROWSE contributions to the SUD: the work plan Consultation with stakeholders (Lead. UCSC. Partners involved: WU, Fera. Start date. Month 1. Duration 12 months). a)Development and dissemination of training materials (Lead UCSC. Partners involved: BPI, University of Newcastle. Start month 13. Duration 24 months). b) Development and dissemination of communication materials for awareness- raising (Lead UCSC. Partners involved: BPI, University of Newcastle. Start month 13. Duration 24 months).

Consultation with stakeholders

It was decided to develop a consultation process to identify stakeholder priorities in order to develop activities that could be efficiently integrated with the existing materials, initiatives and experiences. To collect the needed information in both of the stakeholder consultations, participants were asked to answer to an electronic multiple- choices questionnaire giving the possibility through several debates for additional comments. Several answers have been proposed and it was explained to participants that the choice was requested taking into account the lack of knowledge of professional workers and of the public linked to the use or the exposure to PPPs. Method adopted for the consultation with stakeholders

Results: summary

Results about training: General subjects to be prioritized Focus on explaining the risks for operators, workers, bystanders. In addition, attention should be also paid on prevention and mitigation measures to minimize risks. Referring to workers the two subjects are considered almost equally important while regarding operators most of the stakeholders suggested to focus more on the prevention and mitigation measures to minimize risks. Regarding the specific case of operators of hand-held application equipment and knapsacks (art 8). BROWSE should focus mostly on proper spraying techniques (32%). But also risks on human health (20%) and risk mitigation measures for operators (21%) should be taken into account.

Results about training: Category of factors influencing exposure the activity carried out by the operator or worker/ personal conduct is seen as the group of factors influencing exposure that should be deeply considered by BROWSE. On the other hand still important are considered the type of pesticide used and its properties as well as the aspects related to the working environment which can reduce/increase exposure

For operators, video was seen as the most efficient technique but also paper based information materials could be useful. Aggregating the results, the two formats got respectively 41% and 20% Referring to workers there were similar results, however also checklists was identified as possible instrument that could be useful Results about training: Format to be used

Results about training: Target group to be focus on Professional role: focus on operators instead of workers (83% respect to 17% of preferences). Type of crop -workers orchards/fruit trees was seen with the highest priority for (55% of preferences). However, also fruiting vegetables and ornamentals are considered important for workers (respectively 14% and 18% of preferences). Type of crop - operators Similar results with the difference that also vegetable and arable crop could be important (both of them got 9% of references). Type of tasks - worker harvesting was seen as the most relevant focus for workers (55%) but also some attention should be on crop inspection/maintenance and handling (both of them got 14%). Type of tasks – operator For operators should be especially on machinery calibration (32%) but also important are mixing and loading (23%), application (18%), cleaning machinery (14%) as well as remnant disposal (14%).

Explaining risks and potential acute and chronic effects on human health was seen as main subject to be developed in the BROWSE communication material. Furthermore, also risk management measures in areas used by the general public and vulnerable groups should be taken into account as well as measures that can be taken by individuals to reduce exposure. Results about awareness raising: General subjects to be prioritized

Stakeholders identified the contact with treated areas and the types of activities in the vicinity of treated areas which increase the exposure as the two most important factors Results about awareness raising: Category of factors influencing exposure

It was felt that a mixed mode approach should be adopted that suits for different target audiences involved. stakeholders identify video as the most appropriate format. Furthermore also paper based information material (leaflets, poster, etc.) could be suitable Results about awareness raising: Format to be used

It was underlined that people living in rural areas should be the main target of the communication raising campaign (92% of preferences). Furthermore, we should focus on the people with an age between 25 and 40 years old (53% of preferences) taking also in consideration the public below 25 years (21% of preferences) and between 40 and 60 years old (26% of preferences). Furthermore, we should focus especially on the public partially involved in agriculture (56% of preferences). Results about awareness raising: Target group to be focus on

Next steps about training and awareness raising (Month 18) Draft plan for training and communication material (Month 26) Draft plan ready for testing (Month 36) Final version delivered to end-users

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