7th European Workshop on Plant Protection Equipment Inspections - SPISE 7 Workshop –

Fig. 1: Group portrait

The 7th SPISE Workshop took place on 26th to 28th September, 2018 in the Conference Amphitheater, Agricultural University of Athens, Lear Odos 75, 1855 Athens, GREECE >> Proceeding of the 7th SPISE Workshop

The SPISE 7 Workshop took place at Athens, Greece, on 26 to 28 September 2018. About 100 participants from 24 European Countries took part. The locally organisation was under the responsibility of Institute for Bio-Economy & Agro-Technology of the Center of Research and Technology Hellas (www.ibo.certh.gr), Agricultural University of Athens (www.aua.gr) and the Greek Crop protection Association (www.esyf.gr), in a close collaboration with the reference laboratory for PAE inspection in Greece of ELGO-DEMETER. The workshop site was the Conference Amphitheatre, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera odos 75, 11855 Athens, GREECE. The Workshop was held by the SPISE Working Group (SWG). This is a cooperation between representatives from Belgium, Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands.

Lectures, practical activities and visits had been organized for the two and a half days. Aspects as inspector’s training, the necessity of new standards, SPISE advices on how to inspect sprayers not included in ISO 16122 series, quality control of inspection workshops and other relevant aspects had been discussed. Inspection procedures had been partly explained at the presented equipment. The hosting venue is close to a very productive and intensive agricultural area occupied mainly from orchards, allowing to consider aspects focused on inspection of different sprayers and specifically of those used in Olives and Citrus and minor PAE, during the technical tour.

After the opening made by the SPISE WG Chairman Paolo Balsari and a welcoming address given by a representative of the Ministry of Agriculture the Workshop began with a round table session chaired by S. Fuentas and P. Balsari. The first speaker G. Granado-Lois – the representative from the Commission EC – DG Health and Food Safety -Directorate  F made a presentation on “Current implementation of inspections of pesticide application equipment in EU following SUD requirements”. Further speakers reported on “Status Quo of inspection in EU: The results of a SPISE enquiry”  (H. Wehmann – JKI - DE); “The experience of the mandatory sprayers’ inspection in Greece” (A.T. Balafoutis – iBO/CERTH - GR); “The inspection quality assurance: present situation and needs” (J. Langenakens – AAMS - BE); “The CEMA promotion of the inspections of brand new PAE” (C. Schulze Stentrop – CEMA - DK) and “The importance of the PAE inspection from the Chemical Industry point of view” (M. Roettele – ECPA - DE).

The attendance and the involvement and interest of Mr. Granado-Lois as representative from DG SANTE F are seen as a sign of recognition for the work done by SPISE.

The content of the following 6 specific sessions held during the first and the third day was prepared by the Technical Working Groups (TWGs) which were installed at the SPISE 4 workshop at Lana in 2014. In detail, the following sessions were offered:

Session 1: Present experiences and challenges in inspections activities
Chairmen:  E. Gil, N. Bjugstad

Session 2: Common procedures for Pesticide Application Equipment (PAE) risk assessment and for the evaluation of environmental benefit of the inspection
Chairmen: B. Huyghebaert, T. Bals

Session 3: PAE inspection harmonised test methods for PAE not included in ISO EN 16122 series
Chairmen: F. Solanelles, A. Sedlar, H. Wehmann

Session 4: Inspection quality: “Certification” of the Workshop activity (quality assurance) included the certification of devices/instruments used for the inspections
Chairmen: J. Kole, P. Harašta

Session 5: Additional Workshop activities including PAE adjustment
Chairmen: J. K. Wegener, A. Balafoutis

Session 6: Inspectors training harmonization and refreshment
Chairmen: E. Nilsson, H. Kramer

At the reception desk the participants were provided with printed versions of already 9 SPISE Advices. These booklets are also free downloadable from the SPISE website. They are parts of a series of publications prepared by the SPISE TWGs and could be useful to fulfil the requirements of the Directive 2009/128/EC (Sustainable Use Directive). The SPISE Advices should be implemented and applied where no harmonized standards are available.

30 presentations given by the participants plus 13 posters showed the ongoing activities in the Member States. Also some still existing difficulties regarding the implementation mandatory inspections systems in the MS came up for discussion. About two years after the deadline of 26^th of November 2016 most of the MS cannot guarantee that all contemplable PAE in professional use were inspected at least one time.

The second day was dedicated to practical demonstration of the sprayers’ inspections activities.

The first demonstration was held on an olive and orange farm. Here the complete inspection procedure of a sprayer used in orange trees was presented (fig. 2) and explained the main aspects to be considered to properly adjust a sprayer (fig. 3).

Fig. 2: Inspection of an orchard sprayer	Fig. 3: Adjustment of air distribution devices

The second stop of the excursion was at the “Melas” olive mill. The Company is situated in Ligoutio, at the municipality of Epidaurus in the Peloponnese, It is engaged in manufacturing, packing, marketing and exporting extra virgin olive oil since 1992. A family business consisting of organic olive groves of an annual capacity of 650 tons.

Here in the olive grove of the mill were conducted and explained the inspection of

• micro granulator (Fig. 4)
• controlled droplet application equipment (CDA) (Fig. 5) and
• slug pellet applicator (Fig. 6).

Fig.4: Micro granulator	Fig. 5: Controlled droplet application	Fig. 6: Slug pellet applicator

After this practical conduct of the inspection processes a discussion followed where the workshop quality assurance regarding the minor PAE inspection was focused on.  

Acknowledgement:

Special thanks to the

• Institute for Bio-Economy & Agro-Technology of the Center of Research and Technology Hellas (www.ibo.certh.gr),
• Agricultural University of Athens (www.aua.gr) and the
• Greek Crop protection Association (www.esyf.gr)

for the excellent hospitality and fruitful co-organization.