Science and Decisions

Science and Decisions
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 422
Release: 2009-03-24
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 0309120462

Risk assessment has become a dominant public policy tool for making choices, based on limited resources, to protect public health and the environment. It has been instrumental to the mission of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as well as other federal agencies in evaluating public health concerns, informing regulatory and technological decisions, prioritizing research needs and funding, and in developing approaches for cost-benefit analysis. However, risk assessment is at a crossroads. Despite advances in the field, risk assessment faces a number of significant challenges including lengthy delays in making complex decisions; lack of data leading to significant uncertainty in risk assessments; and many chemicals in the marketplace that have not been evaluated and emerging agents requiring assessment. Science and Decisions makes practical scientific and technical recommendations to address these challenges. This book is a complement to the widely used 1983 National Academies book, Risk Assessment in the Federal Government (also known as the Red Book). The earlier book established a framework for the concepts and conduct of risk assessment that has been adopted by numerous expert committees, regulatory agencies, and public health institutions. The new book embeds these concepts within a broader framework for risk-based decision-making. Together, these are essential references for those working in the regulatory and public health fields.

Regulating Pesticides in Food

Regulating Pesticides in Food
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 288
Release: 1987-02-01
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 0309037468

Concern about health effects from exposure to pesticides in foods is growing as scientists learn more about the toxic properties of pesticides. The Delaney Clause, a provision of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, prohibits tolerances for any pesticide that causes cancer in test animals or in humans if the pesticide concentrates in processed food or feeds. This volume examines the impacts of the Delaney Clause on agricultural innovation and on the public's dietary exposure to potentially carcinogenic pesticide residues. Four regulatory scenarios are described to illustrate the effects of varying approaches to managing oncogenic pesticide residues in food.

Proceedings of the Training Course

Proceedings of the Training Course
Author: United States. Environmental Protection Agency. Division of Pesticide Community Studie
Publisher:
Total Pages: 212
Release: 1971
Genre: Environmental health
ISBN:

Biopesticides

Biopesticides
Author: Aaron Gross
Publisher: Amer Chemical Society
Total Pages: 304
Release: 2015-02-23
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9780841229983

Resistance to conventional pesticides has been growing rapidly among all pests. Furthermore, there is increased public concern about the safety of conventional pesticides, and increased governmental restrictions have resulted in the need to identify new compounds that are safe and effective in controlling pests that are of concern to agriculture as well as to public and animal health. Biopesticides may aid in the control of such pests with fewer deleterious effects to the environment, people and animals. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines biopesticides as "pesticides derived from such natural materials as animals, plants, bacteria, and certain minerals" (www.epa.gov). According to the U.S. EPA's website in 2014 there were more than 430 registered biopesticides along with 1320 active product registrations. Biopesticides have seen a recent growth, which is partially due to increased advances in biotechnological tools for pest control. However, the growth has been largely spurred by the growing needs for new tools to fight pesticide resistance and safer and more benign means of pest management. This volume and the chapters contained within it resulted from the "Biopesticides: State of the Art and Future Opportunities" symposium held at the 246th ACS National Meeting in Indianapolis, Indiana, September 8-12, 2013. The symposium was comprised of 38 papers in five sessions: The Big Picture, Repellents and Attractants, Insecticides and Nematicides, Products from Genetic Improvements, and Economic, Regulatory and Future Needs. Biopesticides: State of the Art and Future Opportunities offers a wealth of information that will enrich the knowledge of experts in the field of biopesticide research.

Pesticides in the Diets of Infants and Children

Pesticides in the Diets of Infants and Children
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 402
Release: 1993-02-01
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0309048753

Many of the pesticides applied to food crops in this country are present in foods and may pose risks to human health. Current regulations are intended to protect the health of the general population by controlling pesticide use. This book explores whether the present regulatory approaches adequately protect infants and children, who may differ from adults in susceptibility and in dietary exposures to pesticide residues. The committee focuses on four major areas: Susceptibility: Are children more susceptible or less susceptible than adults to the effects of dietary exposure to pesticides? Exposure: What foods do infants and children eat, and which pesticides and how much of them are present in those foods? Is the current information on consumption and residues adequate to estimate exposure? Toxicity: Are toxicity tests in laboratory animals adequate to predict toxicity in human infants and children? Do the extent and type of toxicity of some chemicals vary by species and by age? Assessing risk: How is dietary exposure to pesticide residues associated with response? How can laboratory data on lifetime exposures of animals be used to derive meaningful estimates of risk to children? Does risk accumulate more rapidly during the early years of life? This book will be of interest to policymakers, administrators of research in the public and private sectors, toxicologists, pediatricians and other health professionals, and the pesticide industry.

DDT

DDT
Author: United States. Environmental Protection Agency
Publisher:
Total Pages: 316
Release: 1975
Genre: DDT (Insecticide)
ISBN:

Models in Environmental Regulatory Decision Making

Models in Environmental Regulatory Decision Making
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 286
Release: 2007-08-25
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 0309110009

Many regulations issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are based on the results of computer models. Models help EPA explain environmental phenomena in settings where direct observations are limited or unavailable, and anticipate the effects of agency policies on the environment, human health and the economy. Given the critical role played by models, the EPA asked the National Research Council to assess scientific issues related to the agency's selection and use of models in its decisions. The book recommends a series of guidelines and principles for improving agency models and decision-making processes. The centerpiece of the book's recommended vision is a life-cycle approach to model evaluation which includes peer review, corroboration of results, and other activities. This will enhance the agency's ability to respond to requirements from a 2001 law on information quality and improve policy development and implementation.