<< previous step: Assessment of HHPs

Starting point: the list of products from the Assessment step, including a description of risks, needs and alternatives.

Purpose: determine, for each product, whether risk mitigation measures are required, and if so, which risk mitigation options would be most appropriate.

Risk mitigation options: Regulatory

• Banning of all products containing a specific A.I.
• Cancellation of registration of one or more specific formulated product(s).
  
  With respect to the first two options, the International Code of Conduct on Pesticide Management stipulates that:
  
  “Prohibition of the importation, distribution, sale and purchase of highly hazardous pesticides may be considered if, based on risk assessment, risk mitigation measures or good marketing practices are insufficient to ensure that the product can be handled without unacceptable risk to humans and the environment.” (article 7.5)
  
  Banning an A.I. or cancelling the registration of a product can be effective immediately, but more common is to allow for a phasing out period.
   
• Severe restriction (only for very specific purposes and to be applied by licensed applicators)
• Revision of registration with (further) limitations in permitted uses
• Pesticides only available on prescription

Risk mitigation options: Non- regulatory (policy and administrative measures)

• Promotion of alternatives, with emphasis on IPM approaches
• Product management measures to enhance proper use and risk reduction  (e.g. training in proper use, ensuring availability and use of PPE, precautionary label statements, etc.)

Examples:

• Cancel registration of HHPs that are registered but no longer in use nor needed.
• Use stakeholder fora to develop realistic mitigation recommendations for HHPs that are still needed.
• Check what countries have done that banned or severely restricted certain HHPs.
• Develop pilot projects to implement alternative pest management options.

Tools:

Tools for the evaluation of appropriate risk mitigation measures can be found in the Risk Mitigation module of the toolkit.

This module provides an inventory of mitigation measures limiting environmental exposure as well as limiting human exposure. A feasibility check tool allows the user to select mitigation measures that can be realistically implemented under the proposed conditions of use in the country.