RESUMO
The global challenge to increase agricultural production goes along with the need of decreasing pesticide risks. The European Union (EU) therefore evaluates and controls the risks posed by pesticides by regulating their authorisation through the science-based Risk Assessment process. Member States can however act in derogation to this process and grant the Emergency Authorisation (EA) of pesticides that are currently non-authorised. To protect the health of humans and the environment, Emergency Authorisations are only permitted in exceptional circumstances of agricultural emergency: their use should be limited (i.e., cannot exceed 120 days and one growing season) and concurrent research on alternative strategies must be enforced. Here, we assessed the impact of the Emergency Authorisations process to human and environmental health. Bees, bioindicators of environmental health, were used as model species. Our research demonstrates that i) Emergency Authorisations are widely used throughout EU Member States (annually granted Emergency Authorisationsmin-max, 2017-2021 = 593-660); ii) 12 % of Emergency Authorisations granted the use of pesticides for longer than prescribed by EU regulations; iii) 37 % of Emergency Authorisations were repeatedly granted over time by the same Member State for the same agricultural purpose (i.e., to control the same pest on the same crop); iv) 21 % of Emergency Authorisations granted the use of Active Substances non-approved by risk assessment (EA-ASs Type3) which consequently contaminate the environment (44 % of environmental biomonitoring studies found EA-AS Type3) while being significantly more toxic to pollinators than regularly approved ASs. To facilitate the implementation of sustainable control strategies towards a safer environment for humans and other animals, we identified the most frequent agricultural emergencies and the key research needs. This first quantitative assessment of the Emergency Authorisation process unveils an enduring state of agricultural emergency that acts in derogation of the EU Regulation, leading to broad human, animal, and environmental implications.
RESUMO
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RESUMO
Taenia saginata is the causative agent of bovine cysticercosis, a zoonotic parasitic disease with a worldwide distribution. Bovine cysticercosis is considered to be an important food safety issue responsible for human taeniasis and a major economic concern since infected carcasses undergo condemnation, freezing and downgrading. The aim of the current investigation was to assess the presence of farm-level risk factors for bovine cysticercosis in an endemic area in North-West Italy. A questionnaire was designed to collect information relating to several farm structural features, as well as management practices, environmental characteristics and attitudes of farmers. The questionnaire was administered in two separate time intervals by direct interview to previously selected case and control farms. Overall, 32 case farms and 131 control farms were included between 2005 and 2011 and 50 case farms and 192 control farms were included between 2014 and 2020. The present survey showed a significant association between the detection of bovine cysticercosis cases at slaughter and farm proximity to picnic spots, closeness of wastewater treatment plant effluents, loose-housing systems and presence of employees along with the family members, highlighting the need for targeted awareness raising policies.
RESUMO
Megachile sculpturalis (Smith, 1853) is the first exotic bee species in Europe. Its remarkably fast expansion across this continent is leading to a growing concern on the extent of negative impacts to the native fauna. To evaluate the interactions of exotic bees with local wild bees, we set up trap nests for above-ground nesting bees on a semi-urban area of north-western Italy. We aimed to investigate the interaction in artificial traps between the exotic and native wild bees and to assess offspring traits accounting for exotic bee fitness: progeny sex ratio and incidence of natural enemies. We found that the tunnels occupied by exotic bees were already cohabited by O. cornuta, and thus the cells of later nesting alien bees may block the native bee emergence for the next year. The progeny sex ratio of M. sculpturalis was strongly unbalanced toward males, indicating a temporary adverse population trend in the local invaded area. In addition, we documented the presence of three native natural enemies affecting the brood of the exotic bee. Our results bring out new insights on how the M. sculpturalis indirectly competes with native species and on its performance in new locations.
