Report from the Sub-comittee on the environment and health

Definition of pesticides
3 Definition of <strong>the</strong> work
With a view to evaluating <strong>the</strong> consequences of a total or partial phase-out of
pesticides, <strong>the</strong> sub-committee first ga<strong>the</strong>red toge<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> existing
information on <strong>the</strong> known environmental and health effects of <strong>the</strong> use of
pesticides as a reference frame for analysing <strong>the</strong> various cultivation systems
set up by <strong>the</strong> <strong>Sub</strong>-committee on Agriculture.
In its work, <strong>the</strong> sub-committee used <strong>the</strong> definition of pesticides proposed
by <strong>the</strong> <strong>Sub</strong>-Committee on Legislation. That definition is reproduced
below:
“The expressions pesticides, plant protection products and active ingredients appear
frequently in <strong>the</strong> following. For <strong>the</strong> sake of clarity, <strong>the</strong>y and some o<strong>the</strong>r terms are
<strong>the</strong>refore explained here.
Pesticides is an inclusive term for plant protection products and biocides.
Plant protection products (or spraying products) are <strong>the</strong> products used in <strong>the</strong>
agricultural industries (farming, forestry, market gardening and fruit production) for
prevention and control of weeds, pests and fungal diseases and for regulating growth
(including straw shortening). Plant protection products can also – where permitted by
law – be used in private gardens and similar, including uncultivated and public land.
Biocides include wood protection products, rat poisons and slimicides for use in
paper pulp etc.
A pesticide consists of one or more active ingredients and some coformulants. The
active ingredient is <strong>the</strong> substance that is specifically aimed at pests etc. The
coformulants are substances that are added to enhance <strong>the</strong> intended effect.”
The sub-committee knew that <strong>the</strong> Committee on Drinking Water
appointed by <strong>the</strong> Danish Environmental Protection Agency in March
1996 had presented its report on 17 December 1997. The report showed
that <strong>the</strong> committee had examined <strong>the</strong> existing regulation of pesticides and
<strong>the</strong> risk of contamination of drinking water with pesticides. Therefore,
where relevant, <strong>the</strong> <strong>Sub</strong>-committee on Environment and Health used this
report as background material.
The sub-committee examined <strong>the</strong> existing body of knowledge to
determine <strong>the</strong> general level of knowledge in this area and to ascertain
how any lack of knowledge affected <strong>the</strong> possibility of evaluating <strong>the</strong>
consequences of a total or partial phase-out of pesticides.
At <strong>the</strong> request of <strong>the</strong> main committee, <strong>the</strong> sub-committee also assessed
<strong>the</strong> possibility of identifying <strong>the</strong> most harmful of <strong>the</strong> pesticides
authorised for use today.
In that connection, <strong>the</strong> sub-committee considered how <strong>the</strong> precautionary
principle could be operationalised in <strong>the</strong> case of pesticides and examined
<strong>the</strong> pesticide problem in relation to o<strong>the</strong>r chemical compounds used in
agriculture.
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