The Complete Book of Pesticide Management: Science, Regulation, Stewardship, and Communication

Citation

Whitford, F. (2003), "The Complete Book of Pesticide Management: Science, Regulation, Stewardship, and Communication", Management of Environmental Quality, Vol. 14 No. 1, pp. 162-162. https://doi.org/10.1108/meq.2003.14.1.162.8

Pesticides provide myriad benefits but present a variety of risks. With definitive policies and requirements for pesticide review before a product enters the marketplace, with clear and precise labeling, and with good consumer education, however, pesticides can play an important role in maintaining the quality of life we enjoy. The Complete Book of Pesticide Management describes the step‐by‐step process by which industry and the US Environmental Protection Agency reach a consensus on the relative risk that pesticides pose to people, wildlife, and water.

While most books only skim the risk assessment process or are too technical for practical application, The Complete Book of Pesticide Management is at once technically sound and easy to understand. Fred Whitford's text links scientific information developed from pesticide testing programs with the safety and precautionary language commonly found on product labels. It describes how to communicate pesticide benefits and risks to the public and provides information on how to select pesticides and protect the professionals handling these chemicals. Risk assessment and risk communication are emphasized throughout. Contents include:

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  “The evolution of pesticide regulations: the shift from benefits to risks”;

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  “Epidemiology: validating human risk assessments”;

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  “Pesticide labels: the convergence of science, public policy, and user responsibility”;

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  “Environmental site assessments: managing the facility against contamination”;

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  “Planning for emergencies: preventing and reacting to emergencies in the workplace”; and

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  “Educating the community and the workforce about hazardous chemicals”.

Engineers, scientists, toxicologists, industrial hygienists, and extension and commercial application industry professionals, as well as students of these fields, will find this book a valuable resource.