Report from the Sub-comittee on the environment and health

9 ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH ASSESSMENT OF
ALTERNATIVE OR NEW METHODS OF WEED CONTROL
AND CONTROL OF PESTS 167
9.1 Introduction 167
9.2 Weed control 167
9.3 Prevention and control of diseases 168
9.4 Prevention and control of pests 169
9.5 Use of genetically modified crops in agriculture 171
9.6 Use of spraying techniques to reduce spray drift 172
9.7 Reduced pollution during cleaning and filling of spray equipment 172
9.8 Interaction between pesticides, including growth regulators, and
production of toxins 174
9.8.1 Conclusions 177
9.9 Mineralisation in <strong>the</strong> soil and o<strong>the</strong>r environmental impacts <strong>from</strong>
increased soil treatment in <strong>the</strong> event of a phase-out of pesticides 178
9.10 Changes in energy consumption and emissions of greenhouse gases
179
9.10.1 Conclusion 180
9.11 New pesticides 180
9.12 Conclusions 181
10 MODEL CALCULATIONS OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF
THE ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH SCENARIOS FOR
PHASING OUT PESTICIDES 185
10.1 Description of <strong>the</strong> scenarios 185
10.2 Pollution and exposure of different compartments 188
10.2.1 Pesticides in groundwater 188
10.2.2 Pesticides in soil, surface water and <strong>the</strong> atmosphere 190
10.3 Environmental impacts 191
10.3.1 The fauna in cultivated and uncultivated terrestrial ecosystems 192
10.3.2 The flora in cultivated and uncultivated terrestrial ecosystems 199
10.3.3 The aquatic environment 204
10.4 Exposure of humans 208
10.4.1 Exposure of, and effects on, <strong>the</strong> sprayer operator 208
10.4.2 Scenarios for <strong>the</strong> population's intake of pesticides 209
11 THE SUB-COMMITTEE’S SUMMARY WITH
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 212
11.1 Introduction and mandate 212
11.2 Occurrence of pesticides in <strong>the</strong> environment 213
11.3 Impacts of pesticides in <strong>the</strong> environment 216
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