There was a vigorous discussion on the assessment of risk to bystanders at the Advisory Committee on Pesticides third annual open meeting in July 2002. Members concluded that on the basis of the information currently available the risk assessment for bystanders used at present provides adequate protection, even if spray is applied to the edge of a field.
The Committee has asked PSD to collect some further experimental data to provide further support to this view.
Nonetheless, the Committee recognises that many may consider it socially unacceptable to spray right to the boundary of a neighbour’s property. If Ministers agree, they may wish to consider options to restrict this practice.
Similar discussions with respect to people using public rights of way across fields also concluded that current risk assessments provide adequate protection.
Following the ACP Open Meeting in July 2002, Ministers received advice from the ACP and as a result have issued the following Consultation Documents:
- Greater access to information about crop spraying
- Proposals for buffer zones between spraying areas and residential properties in England and Wales
