Regulation of pesticide soil standards for protecting human health based on multiple uses of residential soil.

To help environmental agencies manage pesticides in residential soil and reduce the associated risks to human health, we developed a screening-level framework that derives pesticide soil standards (PSSs) while considering the multiple uses of residential soil. Our screening models simulated the risk from exposure to soil pesticides via direct and three major indirect (i.e., tuber crops, animal-sourced food, and groundwater) exposure pathways. Based on these models, we derived PSSs for five types of residential soil. Our results showed that, in general, indirect pathways contributed more than the direct pathway to the overall exposure to soil pesticides. Consequently, in rural environments, where residential soil is also subjected to activities such as agriculture, animal grazing, and groundwater consumption, the derived PSSs were low. In addition, we compared the derived PSSs to the current worldwide standards for 13 commonly used pesticides. We found that the current global PSSs were appropriate only for urban residential soil. In many rural environments where the boundaries between different soil uses may be indistinct, the current PSSs are insufficient to protect humans from exposure to soil pesticides. Based on this analysis and the proposed PSSs, we provide regulatory recommendations for the management of pesticides in various types of residential soils. [Display omitted] • Pesticide soil standards are derived via multiple exposure pathways. • Most of the human exposure to soil pesticides is attributed to indirect pathways. • Current soil standards do not guarantee sufficient exposure margins. • Regulation recommendations are for five types of residential soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]