In an effort to improve pesticide environmental risk assessment, the ICAMA held a training program in Hangzhou on October 14^th and 15^th 2015. More than 100 industry representatives participated in this program which also included representatives from ICAMA and the State Institute for the Control of Agrochemicals. Jiang Hui, head of the Environment System Office of the ICAMA introduced the training seminars agenda before passing the mike to keynote speakers which included Liu Yongquan, secretary of the ICAMA and Zhang Huofa, deputy director of the Agriculture Department of Zhejiang Province.
 
                                                       
 
The main contents of the training program focused on elucidating the procedures involved in risk assessment, particularly target organisms including aquatic system, birds, bees, silkworm, underground water and non-target arthropods. Practical guidance focused on implementation of industry standards including “Pesticide Registration Environmental Risk Assessment Guidelines”.
 
                                                       
 
Pesticide Registration Environmental Risk Assessment Guidelines have been seven years in the making beginning in 2008 and finally finishing in 2015 with the drafting of the new regulation which is expected to be promulgated before the year is out. China’s grave environmental issues have pushed risk assessment of pesticides to the forefront of the Chinese government’s environmental protection policies, making industry comprehension of any new changes to compliance requirements a must for continued sustainable growth in this sector.