Paradigm shift in the risk assessment of cumulative effects of pesticide mixtures and multiple residues to humans and wildlife: German proposal for a new approach

A paradigm shift is underway in the risk assessment of chemicals leaving behind the traditional "individual substance approach." This simplified approach has long been criticized for not adequately taking into consideration the well-known occurrence of chemical mixtures in relevant exposure matrices (foodstuff, environmental media) and thus ignoring the "added risk" resulting from multiple exposure and associated mixture toxicity. More recently, the adequacy of this approach was also questioned from the political arena in Europe (Council of the European Union 2009; European Commission 2012). As a consequence, several reviews of the state-of-the-science as well as opinions on the implementation of mixture risk assessment in chemicals regulation have been delivered. Further, the principal request for taking the risk of mixtures into due account has been introduced in recently updated European chemicals legislations, e.g. for plant protection products (PPP) and biocidal products (BP). ...