The National Working Party on Pesticide Applications (NWPPA) has been working since 2010 to bring a national, coordinated technical approach to spray drift issues.

Our vision is that the regulatory system is science based and recognises the use of drift reduction technologies, better education and practice to enable the use of smaller, practical buffer zones.

With most of the research commissioned by the NWPPA either finished or nearing completion, and the delay in the release of the APVMA consultation paper, the Working Party reduced activities in 2016-17. However, dialogue with the APVMA and other stakeholders was maintained and operation of the TWG supported.

At a meeting with Stakeholders held in Canberra on 12 April 2017, the APVMA confirmed and acknowledged that work facilitated by the NWPPA has delivered science that has provided significant support for the proposed framework.

However, as a result of reorganisation, relocation and other business factors, the APVMA is currently prioritising activities to improve on its overall core KPIs https://apvma.gov.au/node/26841

Consequently, as of June 2017, the APVMA has not yet released the final spray drift draft consultation paper and although “the science has been done”, the APVMA has indicated that it does not currently have the resources to “roll out” and implement the new spray drift framework.

The APVMA’s current approach for addressing the risk of spray drift was established in March 2010. Following implementation, it was found that:

• The scheme lacked flexibility and an ability to adopt DRTs

• Assessments were based on worst case scenarios

• There was little incentive to adopt best practice

• There were deterrents to including some types of applications when registering products

Consequently, in step with the NWPPA, the APVMA commenced an internal project to develop a new spray drift regulatory framework in 2013. This new approach proposed a set of on-line tools that could be made publicly available on APVMA’s website for calculating spray drift and setting buffers. A draft consultation document was sent to the NWPPA in September 2015 for review and comment. Comments were received by the APVMA and draft documentation updated in accordance with submissions made during the ground truthing exercise.

The new approach proposes to make use of a new Spray Drift Management Tool (SDMT) to generate scientifically justifiable deposit curves. This initiative would enable:

• Simplified and consistent label statements.

• Quicker assessment by APVMA through use of a Spray Drift Risk Assessment Tool, (SDRAT).

• Increased flexibility by end users (SDMT).

• Greater use of drift reducing technologies (DRTs).