1. Pesticides

The Pesticide Programme aims to harmonise the testing and assessment of agricultural pesticides and to promote work sharing and risk reduction. It achieves this by helping countries to co-operate in the review of both chemical and biological pesticides used in agriculture.

Pesticide Residue Chemistry Expert Group (RCEG)

The pesticide Residue Chemistry Expert Group (RCEG) is currently finalising the work on a revision of the 2009 Guidance Document on Definition of Residue. Chapters have been drafted to address general topics as well as specific matters related to residue definitions for enforcement, residue definitions for risk assessment, Threshold of Toxicological Concern (TTC), conversion factors, exposure considerations, and interpretation of results from studies with multiple radiolabel positions. The group is also finalising the development of a new Guidance Document and study protocols on residues in honey. The document will contain a decision tree to set Maximum Residue Limits in honey, considerations on the use of the plant residue definition for risk assessment and in certain circumstances the processed commodities residue definition for honey, protocols suitable to quantify residues in honey and flowcharts/ scenarios dealing with infield weeds, off field crops and rotational crops. A calculator was developed to estimate the rate of active substance reaching the non-target plant and criteria for identifying critical Good Agricultural Practices among different crops were developed. The RCEG started to work on two more projects that involve the revision of the TG 506 on stability of residues in stored commodities and the revision of the Guidance Document on pesticide residue analytical methods.

OECD Network on Illegal trade of Pesticides

The OECD Network on Illegal trade of Pesticides (ONIP) met on 27 February 2023 to discuss the possible revision of the Best Practice Guidance to identify illegal trade of pesticides (BPG), continued ONIP activities in the SAICM context and possibilities for future ONIP activities. ONIP also convened a dedicated session about online illegal trade, an area of increasing concern for ONIP.

Expert Group on the Electronic Exchange of Pesticide Data (EGEEPD)

The Expert Group on Pollinator Testing and Assessment (EG-PTA) met within the context of the 15th International Symposium of the Bee Protection Group of the International Commission for Plant Pollinator Relationships (ICPPR), on 18-21 October 2022. During the meeting the EG-PTA had an initial discussion on future activities and decided on their mandate, which was subsequently agreed by the 38th Meeting of the Working Party on Pesticides.

Drone Subgroup

The Drone Subgroup advising an Industry Task Force that is implementing the recommendations to fill data gaps included in the 2021 OECD Report on the State of the Knowledge – Literature Review on Unmanned Aerial Spray Systems in Agriculture. The data will contribute toward the development of new Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) focused models that may be considered by regulatory authorities to assess the risks associated with applying pesticides using drone technology. Many members of the Subgroup participated in May 2023 in the Conference and workshop: applying pesticides using drones of the Chemicals Regulation Division of the UK’s Health Safety Executive supported by the OECD Co-operative Research Programme. The Workshop provided an opportunity for stakeholders to share information on work to address the OECD Report recommendations. The Conference and workshop: applying pesticides using drones was held by the Chemicals Regulation Division of the Health Safety Executive of the United Kingdom supported by the OECD Co-operative Research Programme: Sustainable Agricultural and Food Systems (CRP) in May 2023 [https://solutions.hse.gov.uk/health-and-safety-training-courses/crd-conference-and-workshopapplying-pesticides-using-drones?cg=31600].

The Conference and Workshop provided an opportunity for stakeholders to share the latest thinking and to help develop a recommended approach to assessing and mitigating the risks associated with the application of pesticides by drone. Drones are recognised as a technology that affords an opportunity to apply pesticide in a more sustainable way than traditional methods, but there is a need to improve understanding of the risks to human health and the environment associated with their use. The event contributes to the work of the OECD Working Party on Pesticides Drone/UASS Subgroup, which is overseeing a programme of work designed to develop a risk assessment framework that can be recommended to regulatory authorities, addressing the OECD the recommendations in the Report on the State of the Knowledge – Literature Review on Unmanned Aerial Spray Systems in Agriculture (November 2021).

Expert Group on Bio-Pesticides

The Expert Group on Bio-Pesticides (EGBP) organised a Conference on ‘Innovating Microbial Pesticide Testing’ that was held in September 2022 in Paris, France. Using as a base the recommendations of the conference and also the input from the CBC meeting in November 2022, the group has prioritised the ideas for projects and is expected to prepare project proposals to be considered by the upcoming meetings of the Working Party in Pesticides and the Working Party of the National Coordinators to the Test Guidelines Programme. The guidance documents on bacteriophages was published in November 2022 and the one on baculoviruses is under WPP review. A revision of the Issue Paper on Microbial Contaminants Limits for Microbial Pest Control Products and the document providing an overview of approaches used by member countries to handle the issue of antimicrobial resistance potentially related to application of microbial pesticides is scheduled to be published in Q3 2023.

Expert Group on Bio-Pesticides

The Expert Group on Bio-Pesticides (EGBP) organised a Conference on ‘Innovating Microbial Pesticide Testing’ that was held in September 2022 in Paris, France. Using as a base the recommendations of the conference and also the input from the CBC meeting in November 2022, the group has prioritised the ideas for projects and is expected to prepare project proposals to be considered by the upcoming meetings of the Working Party in Pesticides and the Working Party of the National Coordinators to the Test Guidelines Programme. The guidance documents on bacteriophages was published in November 2022 and the one on baculoviruses is under WPP review. A revision of the Issue Paper on Microbial Contaminants Limits for Microbial Pest Control Products and the document providing an overview of approaches used by member countries to handle the issue of antimicrobial resistance potentially related to application of microbial pesticides is scheduled to be published in Q3 2023.

Ad Hoc Expert Group on RNAi-based Pesticides

The Ad Hoc Expert Group on RNAi-based Pesticides finalised the Working Document on Human Health Risks from the Application of sprayed or externally applied dsRNA-Based Pesticides and is scheduled to be published in Q3 2023.

Expert Group on Minor Uses (EGMU)

The Expert Group on Minor Uses (EGMU) is finalising the Guidance Document on addressing minor uses.

Recent publications - Series on Pesticides

No. 108

Guidance Document for the Regulatory Framework for the Microorganism Group: Bacteriophages

The OECD project on Pesticides is being implemented with the financial assistance of the European Union. The views expressed herein can in no way be taken to reflect the official opinion of the European Union.

Fothcoming events

27 February – 3 March 2023, Meeting of the Working Party on Pesticides, the Expert Group on Bio-Pesticides, and of the OECD Network on Illegal trade of Pesticides (ONIP)

28- 29 September 2023 (tentative)

Meeting of the Expert Group on the Electronic Exchange of Pesticide Data, face-to-face (& hybrid) or virtual to be determined

Patience BROWNE

Leon VAN DER WAL

Magdalini SACHANA

Sally DE MARCELLUS

Chrsitiana OLADINI-JAMES

Contacts Website www.oecd.org/chemicalsafety/pesticides-biocides/agriculturalpesticides.htm