Impact of - IDL-BNC @ IDRC - International Development Research ...

Screening
Process development
Route scouting
Toxicology
IEngineering I
145
Registration
Plant construction
Costs
0 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Time (years)
Fig. 1. Stages and costs of agrochemical research and development.
identified. If a new chemical survives to this stage, a market survey is carried
out to obtain preliminary information about sales prospects. If a commercial
future seems reasonable, further efficacy testing in the field and toxicity testing
will be undertaken. The results of efficacy and toxicology testing are reviewed
regularly and route scouting is used to determine the most economic, safe,
environmentally sound, and technically feasible process of manufacture.
Assuming that all goes well (i.e., successful field-testing, no unpleasant surprises
from toxicity testing, promising market prospects, and successful routescouting),
the first preliminary registration for experimental use in larger field
studies is applied for (Fig. 2). These tests provide the opportunity for monitoring
exposure of those applying the pesticides under realistic conditions.
Exposure data are needed, in combination with animal toxicity information,
for risk assessment. Early generation of exposure data facilitates the development
of safe products and helps avoid unpleasant surprises (Tordoir 1980).
At this stage, process development begins. Laboratory and, later, pilot-plant
production, using the most promising process found during route-scouting,
are established. While toxicity and efficacy testing continue and the registration
procedure expands, product development enters an engineering phase,
in which a full-scale plant is designed. Experts are consulted to ensure an
optimum design with respect to health, safety, and environment.
When the engineering phase is well under way, a crucial point is reached in
the continuous process of reviewing the feasibility of the project. A construction
site must be chosen, which may require obtaining permits, and