The wide and in many times inconsiderate use of chemical plant protection products has negative consequences for human and the environment and of course poses risks for public health. Many drastic substances that have been widely used in the past in agriculture, are now forbitten, leaving an important gap in the available methods of assessing the aforementioned problem. Considering the above, the need for developing and using innovative assessment method protocols, that are safe for the environment, do not leave toxic residues in the products and do not negatively affect the users and the final product becomes clear and imperative.

The proposed project aims at developing new strategies for the proper use of plant protection products though innovative technologies, i.e. the minimization the impact of point and diffused sources of pollution and the maximization of the user and consumer safety, depending on the requested conditions and processes. Apart from the technological and the environmental dimension of the application of the aforementioned methods, their economic dimension will also be evaluated, so that the results produced will trigger the adoption of these methods on a larger scale in our country.

More specifically, a series of best practice actions for the management of plant protection products, which are expected to offer a sustainable competitive advantage, will take place. These best practices will be adjusted on the individual conditions for the critical process of plant protection product application, that in turn is determinative for the product quality and safety level, as well as for the environmental footprint. Data and critical parameter collection and analysis will be conducted with the use of various technologies, that will be connected to the support of decision-making in the critical stages of the use and application of plant protection products process.

The implementation stages of the proposal will include a) The creation of a portable station for the cleaning of compact tractor sprayer in particularly sensitive areas, such as rural areas located near lakes and rivers, in order to further reduce surface water pollution. b) The organization of training for point and diffuse sources of pollution, as well as for the safety of users, in areas with intense agricultural activity and profile, in order to indicate the “critical” points required by producers to comply with the rules of proper use, taking into account the specifics of each area all stages and various implementation scenarios and c) The evaluation of the economic viability, the efficiency and the acceptance of the proposed techniques at technical, environmental, social and economic level.