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Environmental Issues in Environmental Issues in Food ScienceFood Science

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Environmental RegulationEnvironmental Regulation

Silent Spring (Rachel Silent Spring (Rachel Carson)Carson)

Early regulationEarly regulation NEPANEPA

Clean WaterClean Water Clean AirClean Air Hazardous WasteHazardous Waste Food Quality Protection ActFood Quality Protection Act

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Environmental Regulation and FoodsEnvironmental Regulation and Foods

Raw Product ContaminantsRaw Product Contaminants Environmental Protection AgencyEnvironmental Protection Agency PesticidesPesticides Organic FoodsOrganic Foods Food SanitationFood Sanitation Food Production and Waste Food Production and Waste

DisposalDisposal

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Relevant InquiryRelevant Inquiry::

Can we grow enough food without using pesticides or other environmental contaminants?

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Global Food SuppliesGlobal Food Supplies

Current global food supply, evenly Current global food supply, evenly distributed, is estimated to be sufficient for distributed, is estimated to be sufficient for an adequate diet for the world’s nearly an adequate diet for the world’s nearly six six billionbillion people people

Earth’s carrying capacity is finiteEarth’s carrying capacity is finite Animal agricultureAnimal agriculture provides, in the form provides, in the form

of meat, milk, and eggs, approximately of meat, milk, and eggs, approximately one-sixth of all human food energyone-sixth of all human food energy and more than one-third of human food and more than one-third of human food proteinprotein

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Global Food SuppliesGlobal Food Supplies

Food demand will rise significantlyFood demand will rise significantly Expanding populations will make a Expanding populations will make a

doubling of food output imperative in the doubling of food output imperative in the next 30 yearsnext 30 years

250,000 people added to population each 250,000 people added to population each dayday

1.2. billion hectares - equivalent to 1.2. billion hectares - equivalent to combined area of China and India, have combined area of China and India, have been impaired as a consequence of human been impaired as a consequence of human activityactivity

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Global Food SuppliesGlobal Food Supplies

Erosion and overuse of agricultural Erosion and overuse of agricultural land are dramatically increasing water land are dramatically increasing water shortages in densely populated shortages in densely populated regionsregions

17 million hectares of forests, 17 million hectares of forests, converted to unsustainable converted to unsustainable agricultural purposes agricultural purposes

Last remaining food reservoir, is Last remaining food reservoir, is nearing exhaustion. nearing exhaustion. Fish catches in Fish catches in international waters have reached international waters have reached their limitstheir limits

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Global Food SuppliesGlobal Food Supplies

Feed grainsFeed grains = grains fed to = grains fed to animals as opposed to grain animals as opposed to grain directly consumed by humansdirectly consumed by humans

Animals produce food from large Animals produce food from large quantities of plant materials that quantities of plant materials that humans cannot eathumans cannot eat

Nutritional value of animal products Nutritional value of animal products high at low intakeshigh at low intakes

Soylent Green?Soylent Green?

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Raw Product ContaminantsRaw Product Contaminants

PesticidesPesticides– AtrazineAtrazine

MetalsMetals– Lead, MercuryLead, Mercury

Chemical ContaminantsChemical Contaminants– Dioxins, PCBsDioxins, PCBs

Microbiological ContaminantsMicrobiological Contaminants– Bacteria, Fungi, MoldsBacteria, Fungi, Molds

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Responsible for a number of Responsible for a number of activities that contribute to food activities that contribute to food security within the United Statessecurity within the United States

Food safety, water quality, and Food safety, water quality, and pesticide applicator trainingpesticide applicator training

Primary contribution to food security Primary contribution to food security is through its program to regulate is through its program to regulate the use of pesticidethe use of pesticide

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Responsible for registration of new Responsible for registration of new pesticides before they can be pesticides before they can be marketed and the re-registration of marketed and the re-registration of older pesticides to ensure that they older pesticides to ensure that they meet current scientific standardsmeet current scientific standards

1996, President Clinton signed 1996, President Clinton signed Food Food Quality Protection ActQuality Protection Act (FQPA) of (FQPA) of 19961996

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Food Quality and Protection Act 1966Food Quality and Protection Act 1966

Amended the Federal Insecticide, Amended the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the Federal Food Act (FIFRA) and the Federal Food Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA)Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA)

Changed the way EPA regulates Changed the way EPA regulates pesticides.pesticides.

Proposed new safety standard Proposed new safety standard “reasonable certainty of no harm” “reasonable certainty of no harm” that must be applied to all pesticides that must be applied to all pesticides used on foodused on food

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FQPAFQPA

EPA must review the safety of all existing EPA must review the safety of all existing tolerances (maximum residue limits) that tolerances (maximum residue limits) that were in effect when FQPA was passed. were in effect when FQPA was passed.

Review of all existing uses of a Review of all existing uses of a pesticide when a new use is proposedpesticide when a new use is proposed

Highest priority place on tolerance Highest priority place on tolerance reassessment on pesticides that appear to reassessment on pesticides that appear to pose the greatest riskpose the greatest risk

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FQPAFQPA

By August 1999, EPA must reassess By August 1999, EPA must reassess 33 percent of existing tolerances33 percent of existing tolerances

Pesticides that were not reassessed Pesticides that were not reassessed by August 1999 will be completed by by August 1999 will be completed by 2002 2002

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Raw Products and PesticidesRaw Products and Pesticides

Agriculture is the major user of Agriculture is the major user of pesticidespesticides

75% of use by volume75% of use by volume Industrial, commercial, and Industrial, commercial, and

governmental users = 18%governmental users = 18% Home and garden users = 7%Home and garden users = 7% Herbicides for weed control account for Herbicides for weed control account for

the largest volume of agricultural the largest volume of agricultural pesticide use (59%), primarily on corn pesticide use (59%), primarily on corn and soybeansand soybeans

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Raw Products and PesticidesRaw Products and Pesticides

smaller quantities of other pesticides smaller quantities of other pesticides are used in agricultureare used in agriculture– fungicides fungicides – rodenticides rodenticides – fumigantsfumigants– SterilantsSterilants

FIFRA prohibits sale of any pesticide FIFRA prohibits sale of any pesticide in the United States unless it is in the United States unless it is registeredregistered

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Pesticide ExportsPesticide Exports

440 million pounds of pesticides 440 million pounds of pesticides were exportedwere exported

29% of all domestic pesticide 29% of all domestic pesticide production and 10% of world production and 10% of world consumptionconsumption

valued at approximately $2 billionvalued at approximately $2 billion quarter of U.S. pesticide exports quarter of U.S. pesticide exports

involve unregistered pesticidesinvolve unregistered pesticides

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Pesticides ImportsPesticides Imports

United States cannot control the use of United States cannot control the use of unregistered pesticides in other countriesunregistered pesticides in other countries

FDCA prohibits food imports with residues FDCA prohibits food imports with residues of unregistered pesticides, or pesticides of unregistered pesticides, or pesticides that exceed tolerancesthat exceed tolerances

United States imports approximately 15% United States imports approximately 15% of total domestic consumption of of total domestic consumption of agricultural productsagricultural products

FDA physically samples only about 2% of FDA physically samples only about 2% of all imports for pesticide residue levelsall imports for pesticide residue levels

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Pesticide Residues Pesticide Residues

Widely used in producing foodWidely used in producing food Pesticides may remain in small Pesticides may remain in small

amounts (called residues) in or on amounts (called residues) in or on fruits, vegetables, grains, and other fruits, vegetables, grains, and other foodsfoods

EPA regulates the amount of each EPA regulates the amount of each pesticide that may remain in and on pesticide that may remain in and on foods.foods.

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PesticidesPesticides

865 active ingredients registered as 865 active ingredients registered as pesticidespesticides

350 pesticides are used on the foods 350 pesticides are used on the foods we eatwe eat

Includes insecticides, fungicides, Includes insecticides, fungicides, rodenticides, insect repellants, weed rodenticides, insect repellants, weed killers, antimicrobials, and swimming killers, antimicrobials, and swimming pool chemicals, which are designed pool chemicals, which are designed to prevent, destroy, repel, or reduce to prevent, destroy, repel, or reduce pests of any sort.pests of any sort.

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PesticidesPesticides

Food Quality and Protection ActFood Quality and Protection Act Pesticide TolerancesPesticide Tolerances New Safety Standard applied to New Safety Standard applied to

all raw productsall raw products ““Certainty of no harm”Certainty of no harm”

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EPA Pesticide Safety AssessmentEPA Pesticide Safety Assessment

1.1. Hazard IdentificationHazard Identification

2.2. Dose-Response AssessmentDose-Response Assessment

3.3. Exposure AssessmentExposure Assessment

4.4. Risk CharacterizationRisk Characterization

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Hazard IdentificationHazard Identification

Identify potential health effects that Identify potential health effects that may occur from different types of may occur from different types of pesticide exposurepesticide exposure

Considers the full spectrum of a Considers the full spectrum of a pesticide’s potential health effectspesticide’s potential health effects

Toxicity studies are conducted on Toxicity studies are conducted on animals by pesticide companies in animals by pesticide companies in independent laboratories and independent laboratories and evaluated for acceptability by EPA evaluated for acceptability by EPA scientistsscientists

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Dose-Response AssessmentDose-Response Assessment

The amount of a substance a person The amount of a substance a person is exposed to,is exposed to,

How toxic the chemical might be,How toxic the chemical might be, Considering the Considering the dose levels at which dose levels at which

adverse effectsadverse effects were observed in test were observed in test animals, and using these dose levels animals, and using these dose levels to calculate an equal dose in to calculate an equal dose in humans. humans.

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Exposure AssessmentExposure Assessment

People can be exposed to pesticides in People can be exposed to pesticides in three ways: three ways: 1. 1. Inhalation exposure, Inhalation exposure, 2. Absorbing pesticides through the skin2. Absorbing pesticides through the skin 3. Oral exposure3. Oral exposure

Typical sources of pesticide exposure Typical sources of pesticide exposure include: include:

FoodsFoodsHome and Personal Use Home and Personal Use Pesticides in Drinking Water Pesticides in Drinking Water Worker Exposure to PesticidesWorker Exposure to Pesticides

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Risk CharacterizationRisk Characterization

the process of combining the hazard, the process of combining the hazard, dose-response and exposure dose-response and exposure assessments to describe the assessments to describe the overall overall risk from a pesticiderisk from a pesticide

explains the assumptions used in explains the assumptions used in assessing exposure as well as the assessing exposure as well as the uncertaintiesuncertainties that are built into the that are built into the dose-response assessmentdose-response assessment

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RISK = TOXICITY x EXPOSURERISK = TOXICITY x EXPOSURE

Risk to human health from Risk to human health from pesticide exposure depends on pesticide exposure depends on both the toxicity of the pesticide both the toxicity of the pesticide and the likelihood of people and the likelihood of people coming into contact with itcoming into contact with it

When pesticides are used, there is When pesticides are used, there is some toxicity and exposure, which some toxicity and exposure, which results in a potential risk results in a potential risk

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Environmental Protection AgencyEnvironmental Protection Agency

Responsible for establishing tolerances for Responsible for establishing tolerances for pesticides pesticides

FDA responsible for monitoring pesticide FDA responsible for monitoring pesticide tolerances on raw agricultural productstolerances on raw agricultural products

Before allowing the use of a pesticide on Before allowing the use of a pesticide on food crops, EPA sets a food crops, EPA sets a tolerancetolerance, or , or maximum residue limitmaximum residue limit, which is the , which is the amount of pesticide residue allowed to amount of pesticide residue allowed to remain in or on each treated food remain in or on each treated food commoditycommodity

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Other AgenciesOther Agencies

FDAFDA tests food produced in the United tests food produced in the United States and food imported from other States and food imported from other countries for compliance with these countries for compliance with these residue limitresidue limit

State enforcement agenciesState enforcement agencies also also check foods produced in this country. check foods produced in this country.

USDAUSDA tests meat and milk tests meat and milk US CustomsUS Customs Department notifies FDA of Department notifies FDA of

arrival of Food productsarrival of Food products

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Organic FoodsOrganic Foods

Foods grown and processed using no Foods grown and processed using no synthetic fertilizers or pesticides or synthetic fertilizers or pesticides or pesticides derived from natural pesticides derived from natural sources sources

Consumers purchase organically Consumers purchase organically grown and processed foods as a way grown and processed foods as a way to reduce their exposure to synthetic to reduce their exposure to synthetic pesticides and fertilizers pesticides and fertilizers

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Regulation of Organic FoodsRegulation of Organic Foods

Over forty private organizations and Over forty private organizations and state agencies (certifiers) currently state agencies (certifiers) currently certify organic foodscertify organic foods

Organic Foods Production ActOrganic Foods Production Act passed passed in 1990, to assure consumers that in 1990, to assure consumers that "organic" food meets the same "organic" food meets the same standards in every statestandards in every state

1997, USDA published a proposal for 1997, USDA published a proposal for national organic standardsnational organic standards

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National Organics ProgramNational Organics Program

Beginning on October 21, 2002, producers Beginning on October 21, 2002, producers and handlers and handlers must be certifiedmust be certified by a USDA- by a USDA-accredited certifying agent to sell, label, or accredited certifying agent to sell, label, or represent their products as "100 percent represent their products as "100 percent organic," "organic," or "made with organicorganic," "organic," or "made with organic

USDAUSDA, accredited certifying agents, and , accredited certifying agents, and approved approved State Organic ProgramsState Organic Programs will be will be responsible for enforcement of the responsible for enforcement of the national regulations.national regulations.

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National Organics ProgramNational Organics Program

USDA Organic Seal USDA Organic Seal may appear on may appear on organic agricultural organic agricultural products that are products that are certified 100 percent certified 100 percent organic or products organic or products that are certified as that are certified as containing at least 95 containing at least 95 percent organic percent organic ingredients.ingredients.