Pesticides
All materials sold as pesticides in the UK and EU have to go through a rigorous safety evaluation under EU Regulation 91/414/EC (The Plant Protection Products Regulations) or the Biocidal Products Regulations (98/8/EC). In the UK the national scheme is the Control of Pesticides Regulations (COPR) which is enacted under the Food & Environment Protection Act, (FEPA). In the course of harmonisation of the individual EU states' pesticide laws with 91/414 or 98/8 many pesticides will be reviewed and it is likely that many will cease to be available. General public concern over the safety of pesticides will add to this pressure and demands for safer and "natural" pesticides will increase. Added to this complexity there is the question of biological control of pests using micro-organisms, (bacteria, fungi and viruses) which are effectively pathogens of the pest; not to mention the whole issue of pest control by genetic modification.
New Regulations in 2009
91/414/EEC is due to be replaced from 2009 onwards by a completely new set of regulations.
The Regulations will update the EC’s regulatory framework for placing plant protection products on the market and eventually replace Council Directive 91/414/EEC altogether after a transitional period. It will also repeal Council Directive 79/117/EEC, which prohibits marketing and use of certain active substances. The main change weill be the move from risk-based assessment to hazard-based assessment, making it impossible for compounds which are positve in tests for carcinogenicity, mutagenicity, reproductive toxicity, and endocrine disruption to gain approval as pesticides.
The regulations will also make provision for the substitution of compounds where there are safer alternatives to existing compounds.
For full details of the proposed new Directive see:http://www.pesticides.gov.uk/uploadedfiles/Web_Assets/PSD/Regulation_-_unofficial_consolidation_(Jan_09).pdf OR CONTACT US
In addition there is to be a proposal for the introduction of a Sustainable Use Strategy for pesticides establishing a framework for Community action to achieve the sustainable use of pesticides.
More details of the progress of the strategy can be found at:http://www.pesticides.gov.uk/environment.asp?id=1980&link=%2Fuploadedfiles%2FWeb_Assets%2FPSD%2FSUD_-_unofficial_consolidation_(Jan_09).pdf OR CONTACT US
TfG can provide structured programmes on
- Pesticide legislation
- Pesticide action and resistance
- Novel pesticides in development
- Biological control
- "Natural" pesticides