Intense debate currently centers on the magnitude of risks posed by pesticides in food and in the environment and the acceptability of such risks among members of the general public. In addition to the complex process of pesticide benefit determination, three key risk-related factors � assessment, management, and communication, form the basis for pesticide regulatory decisions and societal acceptability.  Traditionally, practitioners of these three risk fields have isolated most of their efforts in a single field (assessment, management, or communication).  It is proposed that risk communication efforts be more closely aligned with risk assessment and risk management efforts to improve the effectiveness of pesticide regulatory decisions and public understanding of pesticide-related risks. Several practical examples will be provided to demonstrate effective methods of improving pesticide risk communication by more closely connecting this field with that of risk assessment and risk management.  Examples will include methods to directly compare human exposures to levels of toxicological concern identified from animal toxicity studies, making sense of large numbers, and proper interpretation of results from pesticide biomonitoring programs.  The risk management discussion will focus upon the proper interpretation of the health significance of findings from pesticide residue regulatory programs and upon the critical need to develop an appropriate and scientifically-defensible method to determine levels of safety concern for pesticide residues.

Pesticide risk communication: Improving connections with risk assessment and risk management

248th National Meeting (2014)

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