Ecotoxicological risk management of plant protection products

For certain plant protection products (PPP) there are environmental risks depending on application, local situation and technology used. If the risk is not acceptable for all organisms, i.e. if areas of concern exist, standard phrases to address special risks have to be defined when a PPP is authorized. Standard phrases to address special risks should protect the environment in almost all situations and mean a restriction for the farmer. A working group at ACW has elaborated a concept to reduce restrictions depending on the local situation and the used technology. This new concept called PAULA (Parzellenspezifischer Umweltschutz in der Landwirtschaft) serves as a base for discussions regarding a simple and feasible ecotoxicological risk management in Switzerland.