Scientific Opinion addressing the state of the science on risk assessment of plant protection products for in-soil organisms

A healthy soil supports a range of ecosystem services

In‐soil organisms are species that dwell primarily in the soil and soil litter. In‐soil organisms are exposed to plant protection products (PPPs) from contact and oral uptake routes of exposure in the surrounding soil compartment. A ‘healthy’ soil supports a range of ecosystem functions or services (such as nutrient cycling) that are essential for supporting the growth of crops as well as the organisms that depend on those crops. The working group of the PPR Panel reviewed the current environmental risk assessment, identified key drivers that sustain important in‐soil ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes and developed proposals for specific protection goal (SPG) options for in‐field and off‐field areas. The SPG options will then be discussed and agreed in consultation with Risk Managers. The working group developed proposals for testing of effects as well as s

Additional tests are needed to cover all ecosystem services

The in‐soil communities of invertebrates and microorganisms are the most diverse part inhabiting agricultural landscapes. Yet, the current risk assessment, at the first tier, examines a selection of invertebrate model species (e.g. Eisenia fetida/andrei, Folsomia candida/fimetaria, Hypoaspis aculeifer) and one microorganism‐mediated process (N transformation). The currently requested tests were reviewed in relation to the proposed SPG options and the available data and the representativeness of the current standard species was discussed. The Panel suggests that the current test battery with the use of an appropriate (calibrated) assessment factor might cover the intra‐ and interspecies variability in toxicological sensitivity in soil, with the exception of some in‐soil organisms when exposed via food and via litter. Note that the current trigger values as included in the Regulation 546/2011 have not been properly calibrated at the time of their inclusion in the Regulation. The Panel recommends adapting the test with H. aculeifer to take the uptake of contaminated food into account, and to develop a standardised test with isopods, to take exposure via the litter into account. For microorganisms, the Panel proposed retaining and advancing the N‐transformation test, and adding a test with mycorrhizal fungi to the data requirements and risk assessment.