Currently, the exposure and risk assessment of environmentally classified substances used in fertilizer formulations are mainly described in a qualitatively, due to a lack of appropriate tools for evaluating end-use environmental exposure.
Under the umbrella of Fertilizers Europe and the FARM REACH Consortium, a fertilizer sector uses map was developed. As a follow-up of this work, sector specific ERCs (SPERCs) were developed, by grouping similar uses mainly based upon their physical form and application method.
Fertilizers Environmental Exposure (FEE) tool
The Fertilizers Environmental Exposure (FEE) tool was developed by Fertilizers Europe in partnership with ARCHE Consulting to address limitations in standard REACH models for environmental exposure assessment. These limitations include the absence of local scenarios for direct emissions to soil, no consideration for direct releases from treated agricultural fields to surface water, and no accounting for crop uptake and harvest as output pathways for fertilisers. The FEE tool is mainly used for assessing environmental exposure of metallic micronutrients (Cu, Mn, and Zn) in fertilizers, but can also be used for other organic or inorganic substances present in fertilizers. Generic exposure scenarios were also developed to improve harmonization and communication within the supply chain. The SPERCs, FEE tool, generic exposure scenarios, and other related documents can be downloaded from the Fertilizers Europe REACH website.
