Introduction

Classes and uses of pesticides

Legal framework

Approval Levels

Scientific information in the regulatory process.

Risk Management Process

Constitution and function of the various organisations

Management of pesticides in the future.

LEGISLATION FRAMEWORK....

The UK has an extensive range of legislative and administrative controls over the approval, storage, marketing and use of pesticides. They contribute to the overall Government policy of providing effective means of pest and disease control, consistent with protecting the safety of people, animals and the environment. The main laws that apply in this area are described in more detail.

At present there are two parallel systems for the approval of pesticides in the UK. Under the first, the scientific evaluation of pesticides is carried out entirely at a national level. However, this is gradually being replaced by a second system in which a major part of the scientific evaluation is organised by the European Commission. This transition was introduced first for plant protection products (mainly agricultural pesticides), and is now being extended to other pesticides (known collectively as biocidal products).

Under the European system, a committee of member states assesses the active substances in pesticides and if they are shown to be acceptable they are entered on a list of such substances (more). Once an active substance has been listed in this way, applications can be made to have products that contain it approved in individual Member States for specified uses; and in responding to such an application, the government concerned would be expected to draw upon the scientific assessment that had already been agreed. Thus, although the final say in whether a product is approved remains at a national level, unnecessary duplication of activities between Member States is reduced.

New plant protection products are increasingly being approved under the European system, and work has begun to review the many older pesticides that are on the market in individual Member States with the aim that eventually they too will be authorised in the same way. It will however, be some years before the process is complete, and in the meantime the national and European systems will continue to work in parallel.

Detailed Laws