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Product Safety
NEW!!! Media Briefing Kit on Pesticides and Epidemiology
Pesticides have many benefits. For example, they help make nutrient-rich fresh fruits and vegetables more affordable and accessible throughout the year. However, it is understandable for people to be concerned about pesticides and any potential impact on their health, food quality and the environment. CropLife International’s new brochure “Pesticides: Assessing Risk and Evaluating Epidemiological Studies. A Guide for Journalists” explains the role of pesticides, and the rigorous testing and regulatory authorization process they need to undergo before a product can be brought onto the market. Moreover, it provides a guide for journalists on how to evaluate the quality and weigh of results of epidemiological studies that are used to assess a possible relationship between pesticides and certain diseases. The kit can be downloaded here.
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The plant science industry takes health issues extremely seriously and the health and safety of both consumers and pesticide users is the industry’s highest priority. Consequently, pesticides are among the most thoroughly tested chemicals in existence.
Pesticides are rigorously tested for their possible effects on humans, as well as animals, and the environment. Furthermore, the crop protection industry and government agencies that regulate them are continually reviewing and monitoring the use of pesticides and are dedicated to identifying any potential health effects.
In addition to the rigorous testing by the industry and regulatory authorities, further mechanisms are in place to ensure that safety is accorded the highest priority:
Misconceptions about the impact of pesticide use on human health still remain. There is particular concern over chemicals that persist (i.e. take a long time to break down and be metabolised) or bioaccumulate (i.e. build up as residues in the body). Such misconceptions are unfounded and should be dispelled. Modern pesticides do not stay in the body after exposure – they are metabolised and are eliminated quickly.
The plant science industry fully supports strong, appropriate and science- and risk- based regulation of pesticides across the world and is committed to the continuous development of improved products, as attested by the level of investment in R&D: CropLife member companies invest some 12% of their turnover on average in R&D, making the plant science industry one of the most research-intensive in the world.
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