Curriculum Vitae of Birchtree Consultants

Dr Stuart Dobson OBE
Nationality - British
Date of Birth - 19.06.1948
Specialisation - Hazard and risk assessment of chemicals; safety

Summary qualifications and Honours
  • 1970          Bachelor of Science (Physiology/Zoology) Sheffield
  • 1974          Doctor of Philosophy (Zoology, Ecophysiology of fish) University College of North Wales, Bangor
  • 2005          OBE for services to ecotoxicology
Career summary
  • 2008-             Director; Birchtree Consultants Ltd​
  • 2001-2008     Member, Advisory Committee on Hazardous Substances, DEFRA
  • 2001-2008     NERC Safety Adviser/Chemical Risk Assessment, NERC Swindon Office; Band 3; Senior Principal Scientific Officer
  • 2000-2008     Member, Chemicals Stakeholder Forum, DEFRA
  • 2000-2001     Head, Risk Assessment & Critical Loads
  • 1994-1999     Member, Advisory Committee on Toxic Substances, Health & Safety Executive
  • 1994-1999     Chairman, Core Assessment Group (Environment) of the Joint Meeting on Pesticides (WHO/FAO)
  • 1997-2010     Member (Occasional Chair), Final Review Board for Concise International Chemical Assessment Documents (CICADs), World Health                                          Organisation
  • 1997-2008     Member (Chair since 2002), Risk Assessment Steering Group, WHO/OECD
  • 1992-1996     Head of Research Station at Monks Wood, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology; Band 3; Senior Principal Scientific Officer
  • 1989-1992     Head of Pollution and Ecotoxicology Section, Monks Wood
  • 1986-2001     Advisor, representing the United Kingdom Department of the Environment on the Advisory Committee on Pesticides for licensing of new                                  products
  • 1983-2012     Consultant to the International Programme on Chemical Safety (World Health Organisation)
  • 1982-2008     Consultant to the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (and its predecessor Departments) on toxic chemical effects on                                  wildlife
  • 1975-2008     Employed by the Natural Environment Research Council
  • 1973-1975     NERC Research Fellow, University College of North Wales
Publications and Reports
  • 40 international chemical assessment documents for the World Health Organization
  • 110 reports on the fate and effects of chemicals for government departments and international agencies
Recent projects
  • Development of a generic model for exposure and effects of pesticides used in public health. For WHOPES (World Health Organisation Pesticide Evaluation Scheme) Joint project with the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki
  • Assessment of the risk of the use of DDT for the control of malaria. For WHO (World Health Organisation) to feed into the Stockholm Convention. Joint project with the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki 
  • Expert witness in a case at the International Court of Justice, The Hague – dispute between countries on the possible cross border side effects of herbicide spraying.
  • Safety assessment of the use of pesticides to kill insects in passenger aircraft. For WHO (World Health Organisation)
  • Development of Chemical Hazard Management System for EDF Energy
  • Expert witness for the Environment Agency for several pollution incidents

Paul David Howe
Nationality - British
Date of Birth - 15.06.1961
Specialisation - Hazard and risk assessment of chemicals

Summary qualifications
  • 1993         Bachelor of Science (Open University)
  • 1993         NEBOSH Certificate in Occupational Safety and Health
  • 1997         Bachelor of Philosophy (Open University)
Career summary
  • 2008-             Director; Birchtree Consultants Ltd
  • 2000-2009     Produced environmental sections for Concise International Chemical Assessment Documents (CICAD) for the World Health                                                         Organization (WHO) on chlorinated naphthalenes, bromoethane, silver, manganese, chlorobenzenes, inorganic tin, brominated phenols,                                    cobalt, organotins, cyanides, heptachlor, chromium(III), chromium(VI) and strontium.
  • 1998-1999      Produced chemical profiles and a categorisation matrix for chemical releases into the food chain via agricultural crops for the                                                    Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.
  • 1994-2019     Technician member of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health
  • 1992-2008     Safety Adviser for the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology at Monks Wood Research Station. Advising staff and management on                                                       health and safety, updating the safety policy, monitoring chemicals and codes of practice, and advising on new legislation.
  • 1989-1994     Produced environmental toxicology sections for national hazard assessments on "existing chemicals" funded by Department of                                                 the Environment these include toluene, benzene, carbon tetrachloride, trichloroethylene, 1,1-dichloroethane, ethyl benzene,                                                        tetrachloroethylene, chloroform, 1,2-dichloroethane,xylenes, dichloromethane, pentachlorophenol, polychlorinated and                                                              polybrominated naphthalenes, phenol, naphthalene, cyclohexane, nitrobenzene and 1,4-dichlorobenzene.
  • 1987-2009     Organised and participated in WHO Task Group and Final Review Board meetings.
  • 1988-1989     Assisted in the writing of a contract report for the Health & Safety Executive on the implementation of the Food and                                                                     Environment Protection Act (FEPA).
  • 1983-2001     Assisted with the writing of Environmental Health Criteria Documents for WHO on mirex, campheclor, chlordecone, heptachlor,                                                   heptachlor epoxide, kelevan, chlordane, chlorothalonil, endosulfan, hexachlorobenzene, quintozene, tecnazene, tetradifon, lead, mercury,                                2,4-D, DDT and its derivatives, tributyltin, polychlorinated biphenyls and terphenyls, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, diethylhexylphthalate, cadmium,                              linear alkylbenzene sulphonates, ethyl benzene, xylenes, aluminium, copper, zinc, fluorides and arsenic.
  • 1983-1985     Pigeon behaviour and hormonal cycles.
  • 1978-1983     Viruses and hormonal cycles in starlings.
  • 1978-2008     Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Natural Environment Research Council
Publications and Reports
  • 25 international chemical assessment documents for the World Health Organization
  • 80 reports on the fate and effects of chemicals for government departments and international agencies
​Recent projects
  • Development of a generic model for exposure and effects of pesticides used in public health. For WHOPES (World Health Organisation Pesticide Evaluation Scheme) Joint project with the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki
  • Assessment of the risk of the use of DDT for the control of malaria. For WHO (World Health Organisation) to feed into the Stockholm Convention. Joint project with the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki
  • Safety assessment of the use of pesticides to kill insects in passenger aircraft. For WHO (World Health Organisation)
  • Development of Chemical Hazard Management System for EDF Energy
  • Assessments of chemicals from Safety Data Sheets against Fluid Categories stated in the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999
Birchtree Consultants Limited, Birchtree House, Jones Drove, Angle Bridge, Whittlesey, PETERBOROUGH PE7 2HW, United Kingdom
​Tel: +44 (0)1733 841199            email: info@birchtree.uk.com
Company No. 6505226 Registered Office Bury Lodge, Bury Road, Stowmarket, Suffolk IP14 1JA ​​