MRLs and toxicological

In the EU, a new legislative framework (Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council) on pesticide residues is applicable as from 1 September 2008. This Regulation completes the harmonisation and simplification of pesticide MRLs, whilst ensuring better consumer protection throughout the EU.

All national MRLs no longer apply. The Regulation includes all "old" EU MRLs as well as many new EU MRLs which have been agreed on the basis of all of the MS's national MRLs. If there is a combination of a commodity and pesticide for which there is no MRL specified in the Regulation then a default MRL of 0.01 mg/kg applies. The MRLs in force from the 1 September 2008 are listed in regulation 396/2005 (32).

So far the focus of the work in the EU on safety evaluations of pesticide residues has been on residues in food. However the Regulation (EC) NO 396/2005 of 23 February 2005 on maximum levels also relates to MRLs in feed. So far however the group of "Products intended for animal feed" has not been defined further (Directive 202/32/EC of 7 May 2002). Feeding stuff is defined as crops solely intended for feeding stuff, grass, straw, green forage for ensilage, feeding stuff peas etc.

Residues should not be present at levels presenting an unacceptable risk to humans and, where relevant, to animals (Regulation (EC) NO 396/2005). Maximum contents for some persistent pesticides have been laid down in Council Directive 1999/29/EC of 22 April 1999 on the undesirable substances and products in animal nutrition (33). These pesticides include aldrin, dieldrin, camphechlor, DDT, endosulfan, endrin, heptachlor, hexachlorbenzene and hexachorocyclo-hexane (HCH). For these pesticides a maximum content in mg/kg relative to a feeding stuff with a moisture content of 12% has been defined.

No MRLs have so far been set for feeding stuff.

Toxicological data, such as ADI and ARfD, could also be taken into account when considering which pesticides to include in monitoring programmes. It could be argued that pesticides for which low ADI and/or ARfD have been set are more relevant to monitor for than pesticides with higher values. A combination of high MRLs and low ADI and/or ARfD could increase the importance of monitoring for residues of this particular pesticide (34).

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Published 13-07-2010, 16:00:57