A workshop on acute dietary risk assessment was held in Canberra, ACT, on April 11 2002. The objectives of the workshop were to provide an update on progress in the development of methodologies used for acute dietary risk assessment, its current status internationally, how it is to be implemented domestically and the potential implications on current registered pesticide uses in agriculture. The workshop was seen as an opportunity for all involved to both share information and identify the key issues in the assessment process for further discussion.

The forty-five participants represented federal and state regulators, representatives of chemical manufacturers, representatives of various agricultural sectors, e.g., horticulture, grains, meat and dairy industries (refer to Appendix II for participants list). Six formal presentations were given to provide the participants with background on the methodology.

Issues of concern included a number of aspects of the methodology e.g., toxicology (estimation of the acute reference dose), consumption data (unit weights and portion sizes) and residues (variability factors), and the process to be followed should acute dietary exposure estimates indicate the possibility of an exceedance of the ARfD, i.e., how will such cases be managed in terms of new and or existing use pattens for agricultural chemicals in Australia.

This project has been funded by Hort Innovation, using the research and development levies listed below and contributions from the Australian Government. Hort Innovation is the grower-owned, not-for-profit research and development corporation for Australian horticulture.

• Vegetable Fund
• Potato – Processing Fund
• Potato – Fresh Fund
• Onion Fund