James Garratt

I launched Enviresearch in 2001, so that the chemical industry had access to the highest possible level of regulatory support in modelling and risk assessment.

I have a fascination with the meaning of risk, and the mechanisms behind the latest modelling tools and techniques. I have been using models of pesticide fate for over 15 years, from the stage of model development through to the stage of model use in regulatory decision-making. Most of my technical work is to assist commercial clients to resolve regulatory questions concerning environmental aspects of pesticide and biocide usage. This includes: development of refinements to the standard risk assessment procedures; liaison with regulatory authorities; reviews of environmental information characteristics of pesticides; design and interpretation of field experimental data; and assistance in developing regulatory strategy.

In addition, I contribute to the advancement of environmental risk assessment and modelling through involvement in scientific projects, mainly in conjunction with Newcastle University. I led a Defra-funded project concerning a framework for the evaluation of the Voluntary Initiative, culminating in being on the organising committee for a 1-day meeting on the Voluntary Initiative organised by the Society of Chemical Industry. I also led a Defra-funded project concerning the provision of safety information on product labels. I have been involved with the Integrated Runoff Management Project for Farms (IRMPF), investigating the link between farm wetlands and mitigation of pesticide contamination. I am also assisting with an EFSA working group concerning the fate of pesticides in greenhouses. I have published several peer-reviewed articles on environmental modelling and pesticide risk, including modelling of pesticide fate in arid-zone greenhouses and modelling of how to reduce risks through improved farm management. I continue to be guest member of staff at Newcastle University, where I conduct ressearch into catchment hydrology for the Centre for Land Use and Water Resources Research.

I am a Chartered Scientist through my membership of the Institute of Professional Soil Scientists. I am also a member of the Society of Environmental Toxicology And Chemistry (SETAC) and the British Society of Soil Science (BSSS).