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RIVM rapport:The "catch-up operation on old pesticides" project has resulted in a summary and RIVM conclusion of the environmental aspects of 152 pesticides which were already marketed in the Netherlands before 1975. The RIVM conclusion was subsequently rewritten to form an environmental synopsis. The present report describes the procedure followed and the results obtained in the evaluation of the environmental effects of these chemicals. Pesticides have been evaluated on the basis of the test results submitted with regard to their behaviour in soil and water, their effects on organisms present in the environment, such as birds, aquatic organisms (algae, crustaceans and fish), bees and earthworms, and their bioaccumulation potential. Behaviour in soil concerns the rate and route of conversion of a pesticide and its sorption to soil particles. The risks of leaching to the saturated soil layers and of accumulation in the plough layer one year after application of the chemical have been estimated using the Support Group M model developed for this purpose. Behaviour in water includes the rates of hydrolysis and photolysis, and especially the rate and route of conversion of a pesticide in water/sediment systems. Several proposals have been made for classification systems of environmental properties of pesticides in general. A classification system for persistence in particular is badly needed for the intercomparison of the pesticides. It appeared that various data necessary for the evaluation are still lacking for many pesticides. The report also makes proposals for developing several aspects of the evaluation, such as behaviour in air, risks to terrestrial organisms and risks of biomagnification.

RIVM rapport:The project "Catch up manoeuvre old pesticides" has resulted in a summary of the environmental aspects of 152 pesticides being marketed in the Netherlands before 1975. In addition to the summary an environmental brieflet was prepared. The underlying report describes the procedure followed and the results obtained in evaluating the environmental impacts of the pesticides. Pesticides are evaluated with respect to their behaviour in soil and in water, effects on organisms in the environment, such as birds, aquatic organisms (algae, crustaceans, and fish), bees, and earth worms, and the bioaccumulating potency. Proposals are put forward for classification systems of some environmental characteristics of pesticides in general. Especially for persistence a classification system is badly needed for a comparison of the pesticides. Carrying out the project several data essentially necessary for the evaluation appeared to be lacking. In the report additional proposals are included to develop the evaluation system for pesticides for example with respect to behaviour in water and air, risk for terrestrial organisms and biomagnification.