Environmental risk assessments (ERAs) are required before utilizing exotic arthropods for biological control (BC). Present ERAs focus on exposure analysis (host/prey range) and have resulted in approval of many specialist exotic biological control agents (BCA). In comparison to specialists, generalist arthropod BCAs (GABCAs) have been considered inherently risky and less used in classical biological control. To safely consider exotic GABCAs, an ERA must include methods for the analysis of potential effects. A panel of 47 experts from 14 countries discussed, in six online forums over 12 months, scientific criteria for an ERA for exotic GABCAs. Using four case studies, a three-tiered ERA comprising Scoping, Screening and Definitive Assessments was developed. The ERA is primarily based on expert consultation, with decision processes in each tier that lead to the approval of the petition or the subsequent tier. In the Scoping Assessment, likelihood of establishment (for augmentative BC), and potential effect(s) are qualitatively assessed. If risks are identified, the Screening Assessment is conducted, in which 19 categories of effects (adverse and beneficial) are quantified. If a risk exceeds the proposed risk threshold in any of these categories, the analysis moves to the Definitive Assessment to identify potential non-target species in the respective category(ies). When at least one potential non-target species is at significant risk, long-term and indirect ecosystem risks must be quantified with actual data or the petition for release can be dismissed or withdrawn. The proposed ERA should contribute to the development of safe pathways for the use of low risk GABCAs.

在利用外来节肢动物进行生物防治之前，需要进行环境风险评估（ERAs）。当前的ERA专注于暴露分析（宿主/猎物范围），并已导致许多专业的外来生物防治剂（BCA）获得批准。与专家相比，一般的节肢动物BCA（GABCA）具有固有的风险，在经典生物控制中使用较少。为了安全地考虑外来GABCA，ERA必须包括分析潜在影响的方法。来自14个国家/地区的47位专家组成的小组在12个月内的六个在线论坛中讨论了外来GABCA ERA的科学标准。利用四个案例研究，开发了包括范围界定，筛选和确定性评估的三层ERA。ERA主要基于专家咨询，每层的决策流程都会导致请愿书或后续层的批准。在范围界定评估中，定性评估了建立的可能性（对于增强型BC）和潜在影响。如果发现风险，则进行筛选评估，对19种效应（不利和有益）进行量化。如果这些类别中的任何一个风险超过建议的风险阈值，则分析将进入“最终评估”以识别各个类别中潜在的非目标物种。当至少一种潜在的非目标物种面临重大风险时，必须用实际数据对长期和间接的生态系统风险进行量化，否则可以解除或撤回其释放的请愿书。