Abstract

The Health Council of the Netherlands recently recommended a study be conducted into the exposure to pesticides among residents living near land used for bulb and fruit cultivation. The current authorization procedure does not separately assess the health risks for these residents and their children. In the Netherlands, approximately 90,000 persons live within 50 metres of land used for bulb or fruit cultivation. The health risks for residents can only be assessed after an extensive study is conducted into their exposure to pesticides. Such a study requires repeated measurements to be taken in residents, farmers and in their living environment, according to a study performed by the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM). The RIVM recommends that measurements be taken from urine, (indoor) air, household dust, and on home-grown crops and lawns. By combining the data thus obtained, a picture can be created of human exposure to pesticides and the contribution that the various sources make to this exposure. The study regions can be selected by using registries from which information can be extracted about areas of extensive pesticide use. Also geographic information systems can be used to identify the local areas where people live in close proximity to agricultural land. The study by the RIVM further describes how the pesticides to be measured can be selected, and which data and measurement methods are available. A small-scale pilot study is necessary to gain insight into the feasibility and costs of an exposure study. Because of the complex character of an exposure study and the diverse expertise it requires, the RIVM recommends that a consortiumof research institutes be established. It also recommends involving residents and other stakeholders. Moreover, the study should correspond with activities that have already been initiated to achieve a sustainable use of pesticides.