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Report of the sub-committee on the environment and health.

2. The sub-committee’s mandate and composition

2.1 The sub-committee’s mandate and scenarios for phasing out pesticides

According to its mandate, the Sub-committee on Environment and Health, working on the basis of the above-mentioned cultivation systems, was to evaluate the environmental consequences of a total or partial phase-out of pesticides. In its evaluation, the sub-committee was to consider the effects on groundwater as a resource for the population and the natural environment, surface water as a resource for flora and fauna, and the terrestrial ecosystems in agriculture and forestry as a resource for flora and fauna.

In its evaluation of the health consequences, the sub-committee was to include the effects of pesticides on the people using them and the effects of using the proposed cultivation systems. On the other hand, the sub-committee was not required to consider the health and environmental aspects of the industrial production of pesticides.

In its work, the sub-committee was to analyse the following scenarios in relation to present production practice:

A total phase-out of pesticides (the 0-scenario). This scenario is described as a reference situation, and the environmental and health consequences of a total phase-out were to be compared with the present situation.

Use of pesticides only for pests covered by the quarantine laws (the 0+scenario). In this scenario, pesticides would be used to comply with specific requirements concerning purity or for controlling pests defined in orders from the Plant Department.

Use of pesticides in crops with serious losses (the +scenario). In this scenario, pesticides would only be used for limited areas in which large yield losses could be expected or where production of specific crops could not be maintained. The scenario also covers the 0+scenario’s areas.

Reduction of pesticide consumption to a level without yield losses (the ++scenario). In this scenario, use would be made of all available technical and cultivation methods that reduce the use of pesticides without significant economic losses. The scenario covers the areas of the 0+scenario and the +scenario and is based in part on the principle of integrated prevention and control.

2.2 Composition of the sub-committee

The sub-committee had the following members:

The President

Henrik Sandbech, Director General, National Environmental Research Institute (DMU)

Members

Professor Poul Bjerregård, Odense University
Dr. Hans Løkke, Director of Research Department, National Environmental Research Institute (DMU)
Dr. Agro. Arne Helweg, Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences (DIAS)
Dr. Erik Thomsen, Government Geologist, Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland
Dr. Ib Knudsen, Executive Director, Veterinary and Food Administration (VFA)
Dr. Ole Ladefoged, veterinarian, VFA
Dr. Lars Ovesen, Head of Division, VFA
Professor Finn Bro-Rasmussen, Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
Dr. Ib Johnsen, Institute of Botany, Organic Department, University of Copenhagen
Dr. Peter Jantzen, The National Board of Health (retired from the sub-committee in January 1998)
Elle Laursen, Deputy Superintendent, The National Board of Health (joined the sub-committee in January 1998)
Sonja Plough Jensen, Principal, Danish Working Environment Authority (WEA) (retired from the sub-committee in January 1998)
Kjeld Mann Nielsen, Special Consultant, WEA (joined the sub-committee in January 1998, retired in December 1998)
Bent Horn Andersen, Special Consultant, WEA (joined the sub-committee in December 1998)

In addition, Claus Vangsgård, M.Sc., Association of Danish Waterworks, participated in some of the sub-committee’s meetings.

The secretariat comprised Dr. Kaj Juhl Madsen, Danish Environmental Protection Agency, Lise Nistrup Jørgensen, Senior Scientist, Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, and Anne Marie Linderstrøm, Head of Section, Danish Environmental Protection Agency.

The sub-committee’s report was edited by Hans Løkke, Director of Research Department, National Environmental Research Institute, and Birgit Nygaard Sørensen, Executive Secretary, National Environmental Research Institute, took care of the layout and writing of the report.

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