Models used in the USA for the evaluation of pesticide exposure, hazard and risk assessment

A wide range of models are currently being used by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Office of Pesticide Programs to provide regulatory estimates of environmental exposures from labelled uses of pesticides in agriculture. Additional models and modeling concepts have been developed to address various aspects of hazard assessment as well as the overall evaluation of ecological risk resulting from pesticide use. Current groundwater exposure models include SCI-GROW and PRZM3 while surface water estimates involve use of GENEEC, PRZM3, EXAMS and MUSCRAT. A number of probabilistic exposure modeling and risk assessment concepts have been endorsed by a recent EPA workgroup called ECOFRAM (Ecological Committee on FIFRA Risk Assessment Methods).