Techniques for pesticide risk assessment.

Abstract Many pesticide risk assessment tools have been developed throughout the world over the past decade. Depending on the intended use of the resulting metrics, they have been variously called hazard rankings, yardsticks, indicators, screening benchmarks, relative risk rankings, risk assessment tools and many more. This chapter describes some techniques used for pesticide risk assessment. The four basic elements in risk assessment, i.e. hazard identification, dose-response assessment, exposure assessment and risk characterization, are discussed. Risk characterization presents qualitative and quantitative estimates of the likelihood that any of the hazards associated with the pesticide will occur in exposed people. It is estimated using probabilistic and deterministic approaches, and cumulative risk assessment, which are also described in this chapter. The environmental risk assessment of pesticides in soil is mentioned, and risk management is explained.