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Approvals for Pesticides in the UK (excluding non-agricultural pesticides)

This website (www.pesticides.gov.uk) deals with the approval of agricultural, horticultural and home garden pesticides (also known as plant protection products). Non-agricultural (public hygiene) pesticides and biocides are also the responsibility of CRD. However, information about these products is held on the main HSE website at the following link: http://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/index.htm

photo of sunflowers The law requires that only pesticides approved by Ministers shall be sold, supplied, used, stored or advertised. The responsible Departments are:

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra),
Department of Health,
Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department (SEERAD),
The National Assembly for Wales (NAW),
plus (for Northern Ireland approvals) Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Northern Ireland (DARDNI)

The Chemicals Regulation Directorate ( CRD) of HSE now has responsibility for dealing with pesticide approvals in the UK

Further information on Pesticide Responsibilities in the UK

Europe

The CRD represents the UK in the European Community process for the registration of new active substances and for the review of existing active substances.

European Work

Pesticides Legislation

Approvals are granted by CRD on behalf of Ministers under a range of specific pesticide related legislation.

Pesticide Law

Responsibility for monitoring and enforcing the pesticides legislation is shared between a number of government organisations.

How are the controls on pesticides enforced

Types of Pesticide Approval

There are four main types of product approvals:

'On-label' approvals

These approvals are issued for an individual product and relate to specific uses detailed on the pesticide label.

Registering a pesticide provides an introduction on how to apply for approval.

Our Product Information Database includes details of all pesticide products which are currently approved.

Products Approved for Use In or Near Water have specific restrictions.

Our guidance on application streams explains which applications for approval are considered by the Advisory Committee on Pesticides (ACP)

'Off-label' Approvals

These cover uses which are additional to those approved and shown on the manufacturer's product label.

Off-Label Uses - Introduction

Re-Registration for Extensions of Use (Off-Label Approvals)

Parallel Imports

A parallel import is the import of a product which is:

identical to one that is already approved for placing on the market and use in the Great Britain (GB): and;
approved for placing on the market and use in the country from which it is imported.

There are arrangements for approval under the parallel import procedure for the placing on the market and use of plant protection products in Great Britain (GB).

Information on Arrangements for approval under the parallel import procedure

An 'Own-Use' parallel import approval gives permission for professional users of pesticides to store and use pesticides purchased and imported from outside GB. It does not allow the imported product to be placed on the market in GB.

Parallel Imports of Pesticides for 'Own-Use'

Commodity Substance Approvals

These are approvals for chemicals (rather than products) which have a variety of non-pesticidal uses and also have minor uses as pesticides.

Approval of Commodity Substances - An Introduction

Other Certificates/Authorisations

Use of Adjuvants and the Tank Mixing of Pesticides

Controls over the use of adjuvants and the tank mixing of pesticides are set out in Schedule 3 to the Control of Pesticides Regulations, which must be complied with.

Certificates of Freesale

CRD is responsible for issuing Certificates of Freesale to Companies wishing to Export Pesticides.

Reviews and Withdrawal of Products

Pesticide approvals may at any time be subject to review, amendment, suspension or revocation.

Approvals - Review or Revocation

EC Review Programme

UK Anticholinesterase Review Programme

Minor Uses

A large number of crops grown in the UK can be classed as minor uses and we support these in a number of ways, including Specific Off-Label Approvals ( SOLA) and support for 'Essential Uses'.

UK Minor Uses

UK Agreed Essential Uses