Chemistry and the Environment Division (VI)

Commission on Agrochemicals and the Environment

Terms of Reference and Background

 

Terms of Reference
Through its internationally recognised membership, the Commission on Agrochemicals and the Environment provides unbiased and authoritative views on the behaviour and potential impacts of agrochemicals in the environment. The commission seeks to advance research understanding and promote environmental stewardship and human safety with agrochemicals through its timely projects, publications, and technology transfer and outreach activities.

Background
The aim of the Commission is to critically examine important issues raised by the use of pesticides as related to the health of mankind and quality of the environment. Members and affiliates are drawn from industry, governments, and academia, thus providing a wide range of expertise which is utilized in recommending approaches and harmonizing views to a variety of pesticide problems. Topics examined include fundamental aspects of the chemistry of pesticides, their fate in food and the environment, methods of trace analysis, and metabolism in animals, plants, water and soil. In its efforts, the Commission seeks active collaboration with other organizations, and interacts closely with international bodies such as FAO, WHO, IAEA, UNIDO and CODEX as well as national pesticide registration and advisory agencies.

Projects.At any one time, the Commission is working on a number of current projects dealing with pesticide issues. Each project is organized around a proposal that has been reviewed and approved by IUPAC, and a project leader is appointed to supervise completion of the project. Project team members with appropriate expertise are drawn from the ranks of the Commission as well as recruited on a worldwide basis from other organizations.

Publications.The Commission has an active publication policy, and project reports are published in the IUPAC journal Pure and Applied Chemistry as well as other internationally recognized journals.

Technology Transfer and Outreach.The Commission organizes an International Congress of Pesticide Chemistry every four years, which provides a global forum for scientists to discuss recent advances and exchange information and ideas in pesticide chemistry. Past and future congresses include:

• Kyoto, Japan, 1982
• Ottawa, Canada, 1986
• Hamburg, Germany, 1990
• Washington, DC, United States, 1994
• London, United Kingdom, 1998
• Basel, Switzerland, 2002

The Commission also organizes workshops and symposia to enhance regional exchanges of information and ideas on pesticide chemistry. Past and future workshops include:

• Tianjin, China, 1988
• Bangkok, Thailand, 1992
• S�o Paolo, Brazil, 1996
• Taichung, Taiwan, 2000

 

For Further Information Contact

Kenneth D Racke (Chairman)
Denis J Hamilton (Secretary)

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