BCPC sees post-Brexit opportunity to base regulatory approaches on risk assessment

The UK has often been a lonely voice arguing for better science-based regulation in the EU. Brussels, on the other hand, has tended to take the politically-expedient – but innovation-stifling – route of defaulting to the “Precautionary Principle” when difficult risk-benefit decisions are required.

 “New agrochemical approvals involve simplistic hazard-based “cut-off” limits based e.g. on intrinsic toxicity, ignoring exposure and risk-assessment,” explains Dr. Colin Ruscoe, President of BCPC. “This approach was reinforced in June this year when the EU Commission advocated hazard-assessment rather than risk-assessment to identify endocrine disruptors. The consequence of this will be the removal of many important – and safe-in-use – chemicals,” said Dr Colin Ruscoe, BCPC President.

 “The Brexit campaign promised that by leaving the EU, we can reduce regulations, save or re-apportion current EU contributions and “take back control. These aspirations may be realised – eventually. In the meantime a huge effort will be required to agree our divorce settlement, and the associated mountain of legislative changes means it will be easier for Government Departments to cut-and-paste existing EU Regulations and Directives into UK Law and Policy.

Brexit will provide a unique opportunity for the UK to base its regulatory approaches to crop protection chemicals on robust risk assessment, like the US EPA and FDA. This can provide win/wins for food production, human health and the environment – and economic benefit. Take, for example, the 1980 EU Drinking Water Directive. This requires a maximum individual pesticide concentration of 0.1 μg/l – but this has no toxicological basis; it was simply the limit of detection back in 1980. As a result, millions of pounds are spent each year in removing innocuous chemicals from drinking water, and the use of important agrochemicals – such as metaldehyde – of negligible human or aquatic ecosystem risk, are restricted. There have been huge advances in toxicological assessment since 1980 that make risk-assessment approaches, e.g. WHO Guideline Value methodology, entirely appropriate for safeguarding our drinking water. ”

“We must maintain the highest standards of water quality but we need to do this intelligently,” advises Dr. Ruscoe. “Many involved in food production – the UK’s biggest manufacturing industry – see more downsides than upsides in Brexit. Taking immediate opportunities to develop new food and farming legislation and directives – based on science not political expediency – would be a sign that the Government will deliver benefits from Brexit.”

This year’s BCPC Congress on 4-5 October, will take a look at the impact of Brexit on the agricultural and regulatory environment.