The need for appropriate use information to refine pesticide user exposure assessments

Risk assessment compares hazard information with an exposure assessment (Report of the OECD workshop, 1995). To characterise the risk data on the level, duration and frequency of exposure are required. This paper illustrates how, in the absence of specific usage data, structural and other data may be used to provide some estimates of daily work rates. The usefulness of detailed pesticide usage data to refine the exposure assessment is also shown. Scientifically sound usage data are required, and to ensure a harmonised approach requires guidelines. The current OECD guidelines for the collection of usage statistics (Thomas for the Eurostat Pesticides Statistics Taskforce, 1999) are designed to collect usage data for environmental reasons, but are a good basis. The adaptation of the OECD guidelines to collect information for user exposure assessments is discussed.