The Relative Risk and Vulnerability calculator, built using Microsoft Excel, assists in determining which sites/sources of chemical pollution to prioritise for risk reduction activities. The purpose is to provide a relative risk assessment for different chemicals pollutants, both at a point source (e.g. stores and contaminated sites) and more diffuse pollution (e.g. pesticides in use, mercury in artisanal mining).
The calculator includes a robust list of indicators that cover important aspects of the potential environmental and social impacts of key chemical pollutants. These include a range of acute and chronic health impacts as well as likely impacts on important aquatic and pollinator species and sensitive ecosystems. The model presented here is not intended to produce a definitive calculation of health or environmental risk or of exposure, but a relative calculation of risk based on the best available information.
The calculator requires site-level data, the questions of which can be found in the “Site Questions” sheet of the calculator, and contextual environmental information to generate results.
Many of the site questions may have been collected in previous chemicals inventories. Furthermore, MapX provides a link to the site-level data and environmental information which may not have been collected on-site, including precipitation, distance to water bodies and sensitive areas, and more.
This calculator has been developed by PAN-UK, a charity focused on tackling the problems caused by pesticides and promoting safe and sustainable alternatives in agriculture, urban areas, homes and gardens. Their work includes campaigning for change in policy and practices, coordinating projects which help smallholder farming communities escape ill-health and poverty caused by pesticides, and contributing a wealth of scientific and technical expertise to the work of other organisations.
PAN UK is part of a network of over 600 participating non-governmental organizations, institutions and individuals in over 90 countries working to replace the use of hazardous pesticides with ecologically sound and socially just alternatives.
Download the latest version of the calculator, along with the guidance document below. Access the public MapX – Chemicals Observatory Africa web map to see the spatial data relevant to the calculator.
The calculator in Excel format. The "site questions" sheet contains the minimum information necessary to run the calculations. Updated September 21, 2020.
Guidance for using the calculator with MapX. Updated July 16, 2020.
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