If exposure is reduced but toxicity remains high, what happens to risk?

• A. Risk decreases.
• B. Risk increases.
• C. Risk stays the same.
• D. Risk becomes unpredictable.

Answer: (A)

Risk depends on both how toxic a substance is and how much of it reaches the body. If toxicity is still high but exposure is reduced, the amount of pesticide that actually enters the body drops, so the chance and severity of harmful effects also drop. In simple dose‑response terms, risk is proportional to exposure times toxicity, so lowering exposure lowers the overall risk even when toxicity remains high. It wouldn’t rise or stay the same because the exposure change directly reduces the dose reaching target tissues, and it’s not unpredictable because a lower dose generally means a lower risk. In practice, safer handling and reduced exposure through controls and protective measures lower the overall risk.