1) The TOPPS project focused on managing point sources of pesticide pollution from agricultural activities. 2) Key risk areas for point source pollution included sprayer cleaning, remnant management, and filling activities. 3) The project found that point sources contribute over 50% of pesticide contamination in some areas, and training farmers on improved practices like field cleaning of sprayers could reduce point source pollution by around 70%. 4) Sustainable management of point sources requires a multi-stakeholder approach including improved farmer behavior, equipment, infrastructure, regulations, and advisory support.

1. Managing Point sources –
Experiences from the TOPPS project
Train Operators to Prevent Point Sources
Brussels 23rd March 2010
Manfred Roettele
TOPPS Project Manager
BetterDecisions
www.topps-life.org

2. Outline
•About TOPPS • Focus on infrastructure
• EU context • Remnant management the
forgotten risk
• Point sources what is it
• Outlook
• Key risk areas
•Focus on correct behaviour
•Focus on improved
equipment
www.topps-life.org

3. TOPPS – PROJECT – Funded by EU- LIFE and ECPA
Objectives:
FI SE
•Common BMPs DK
(stewardship+risk mitigation)
H
UK NL
• Training / Demonstration
materials BE TOPPS PL CZ
DE FR
• Dissemination of BMPs SK
IT
• Proposal for a sustainable
strategy to avoid point FR ES
sources PT
www. TOPPS-life.org 15 countries / 18 cooperators
www.topps-life.org
TOPPS started Nov 2005 and ended Oct 2008

4. Agriculture is considered a major pollutor of water
Nitrogen
Phoshate Pesticide, (PPP)
DG - Environment
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5. Legal initiatives and agriculture support policies are connected
Nitrates directive – in
Nitrate Vulnerable Zones
Water Framework CAP Cross
Directive–
Measures operational by
October 2012
? compliance
GAEC to be
introduced by 2012.
Good status 2015
Pesticides Framework
Directive
Objectives to be set up in
National Action Plans.
www.topps-life.org

6. Main entry routes of Plant Protection Products (PPP) into
surface water are : point and diffuse sources
Point sources
Run-off
Drift
Drainage
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7. POINT SOURCES were not sufficiently in the focus
Method of point sources measurement - Univ Giessen)
Univ Giessen)
Few studies distinguish Catchment area
between point and
diffuse sources (D, B,
UK)
Village with
farms
Sewage plant Measurement 2
Measurement 1 Diffuse source
Point source
www.topps-life.org
Presented by Prof. Frede Univ.Giessen at TOPPS Forum Germany Oct 2006 (changed)

8. SIGNIFICANCE OF POINT SOURCES
Point sources are the main route of suface water contamination
5 Catchment areas in Hessen/Germany
from 33 35 25 5 23
diffuse
sources
from
Point sources 67 65 75 95 77
area 1900 km² 25km² 20km² 7 km² 50 km²
POINT SOURCES CONTRIBUTE > 50 %
www.topps-life.org
Presented by Prof. Frede Univ. Giessen at TOPPS Forum Germany Oct 2006 (changed)

9. SIGNIFICANCE OF POINT SOURCES
Reduced PPP in surface water after intensive training and transfer of sprayer
cleaning to the field .- Study: Univ. Giessen Hessen /Germany
Wölfersheim of PPPOrtschaften/Kläranlagen insewage plants
Rel. reduction 4 pollution in 5 catchments Hessen
(Wetterau) A B C D
-82% -70% -61% -69% -80%
The cleaning process of the sprayer transfered to the field is able
to reduce the point source pollution by about 70%
www.topps-life.org
Presented by Prof. Frede Univ. Giessen at TOPPS Forum Germany Oct 2006 (changed)

10. Key risk area filling
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11. Bad empty container management
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11

12. Sprayer cleaning close to surface water
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12

13. Bad residual volumes / remnants management
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14. Managing Point sources
Key risk areas
• Cleaning Correct
• Remnant Management Behaviour
• Filling
Improved Improved
Equipment Infrastructure
Transport
Storage
Before spraying
During spraying
After spraying
Remnant management
www.topps-life.org

15. Best Management Practices
(BMPs)
•what to do and how to do
things (practical)
CORRECT
BEHAVIOUR • defined along the work
processes (complete)
• European core , local
adaption (credible)
• BMPs on water protection were not in all countries available,
often to general
• mismatch between rules / regulations and the translation
what it means in practise
(who knows what 0,1 µ/l means in practise ???)
www.topps-life.org

16. ... Key is to change behaviour
BMPs
Correct development
Behaviour
Key dimensions support
behaviour change
BMPs BMPs
TOPPS - KEY MESSAGES transfer implementation
•Develop training modules for Advisers and utilize all advice capacities
(Certified, documented, private + public advisors: Example BASIS?)
•Create a market for agro - environmental advice
•Offer operator training modules on water protection (voluntary/mandatory)
(Certified, documented, apply audit tools. Example: Aquasite Arvalis?)
•Define water protection targets, control processes and measure progress
www.topps-life.org

17. Equipment and infrastructure are key enablers to
mitigate point source risks
Improved
Equipment
Improved Big improvements were made in
Infrastructure application techniques
• Environmental aspects „regulated“ by EN / ISO Standards
• Environmentally optimized sprayers need to compete in the
market with lower level sprayers (tough sales today !)
...... the TURBO is in but the CATALYST is often missing
Picture Harald Kramer LWK_NRW www.topps-life.org

18. Reduce Residual volumes
Best sprayers today have 50% less residual volume compared
with the requirements of the standard
How can we help environmentally optimized sprayers to
compete better ? Who knows ? Who talks about it?
Current standards for Fieldsprayers
Total residual volume in l (EN 12761-2) If the cleaning is
Tank Boom not done properly
Tank volume 0, 5 % length m 2l / m Total litres some of these
800 4 15 30 34 residual volumes
3000 15 21 42 57 may end up in the
4200 21 36 72 93 water
Arable Farmers clean their sprayers 7 to 10 times / season*
www.topps-life.org
*TOPPS farmer surveys

19. Improved rinsing – altenative Procedure
Continuous rinsing offers more convenience, faster, less water
TOPPS explored continuous rinsing (TOPPS-clean alternativ method)
...needs additional pump, but
more convenient, faster, less
water
Cost to upgrade sprayers 600 to
1500.- €
Continuous rinsing compared to triple rinsing procedure under practical conditions (Fieldsprayer: 12 m
boom, Airmix 03 nozzles (output 20 l/min), spray pressure 1,5 bar. Dilution % was measured photo-
metric by using fluorescent tracer *
Amount of water Time needed Dilution rate
achieved
Triple rinsing 3 x 30 (90 l) 30 minutes 0,2 %
Continuous rinsing 40 l 4 minutes 0,3 %
*H. Kramer, LWK-NRW 2009 www.topps-life.org

20. Risk area outside cleaning
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21. Outside cleaning is a challenge especially for air assisted sprayers
Research in BE and IT show significance of outside
cleaning of orchard sprayers
At application of 25 kg ai / year about 82,5 to 207 g ai / ha
deposits were measured on the sprayer
(Assumption: 20 ha means about 1650 bis 4140 gai – Debear
2006)
Recommendation: Outside cleaning in the field,
while deposits are still wet
www.topps-life.org

22. 22 www.topps-life.org

23. Example: Infrastructure
> 85% of farmers fill and wash their sprayers on farm
Precautionary
Improved measures
Equipment necessary if
filling , cleaning
done on
hardsurfaces
Improved Biopurification
Infrastructure systems Biobed,
Biofilter
to treat diluted
contaminated
washing waters
www.topps-life.org

24. What to do with the PPP contaminated liquid which still stay
in the sprayer or washing water (Remnant management)
EU context
Country Officially recommended procedure
FRA If residual volume is diluted to 1%, residual volume can remain in
the field (only very little will return to farm)
DK If residual volume is diluted to 2% residual volume can remain in
the field
BE*, UK, Biobed, Biofilter (Bioremediation) approved methods
FR, SE (*Wallonia)
DK, DE* Collection in Slurry and spreading with slurry in field
(*NRW)
NL ?
Operators left alone in many countries with remnants management
www.topps-life.org

25. Outlook
ECPA – Water protection projects landscape
Mitigation of
Point sources
15 EU countries Bridge
Mitigation
AIM Diffuse sources
PROWADIS -Life ?
22 EU countries
Oct 2005 Nov 2008 Sept 2010 Oct 2013
Efficient multistakeholder risk mitigation is the target
www.topps-life.org

26. Mitigation of PPP water contamination needs to be
managed as a multistakeholder challenge
Farmer /
Operator
Improved Improved
Equipment Infrastructure
Research
practical
Regulations PPP Monitoring /
consistent Inspection
Best Management Standards Support
Legislation
Practice – Advice enforced
comprehensive
Public opinion
Politics
Media
Society (regional,
national , EU www.topps-life.org

27. IMPLEMENTATION REMAINS THE CHALLENGE !
Thanks for your attention
Acknowledgement for support to
Life, ECPA, the TOPPS partners
and many supportive stakeholders
Right focus, strategy and support will help to develop a
consistent approach to protect water
STAY ON TOPPS – www.TOPPS-life.org
www.topps-life.org