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You are in: Home » Pesticide Approvals » Legislation » FEPA and COPR

The Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 (FEPA) and The Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986 (COPR).

Aims

The Food and Environment Protection Act

Statutory powers to control pesticides are contained within Part III of (Food and Environment Protection Act (FEPA). Section 16 of the Act describes the aims of the controls as being to:

• protect the health of human beings, creatures and plants;
• safeguard the environment;
• secure safe, efficient and humane methods of controlling pests;
• make information about pesticides available to the public.

The Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986

The mechanism by which these aims are to be achieved is set out in regulations made under the Act. The Control of Pesticides Regulations (COPR) 1986 (SI 1986/1510):

• define in detail those types of pesticides which are subject to control and those which are excluded;
• prescribe the approvals required before any pesticide may be sold, stored, supplied, used or advertised;
• allow for general conditions on sale, supply, storage, advertisement, and use, including aerial application of pesticides.

The 1986 Regulations were updated by the COPR (Amendment) Regulations 1997 (SI 1997/188) and the text of the Schedules that set out these general conditions can be accessed through The Applicant Guide. Similar provisions apply in respect of the Plant Protection Products Regulations (as amended) (PPPR) Similar legislation exists in Northern Ireland and the majority of products approved for use in Great Britain are subsequently approved for use in Northern Ireland.

Definition of Pesticides

Under FEPA, a pesticide is any substance, preparation or organism prepared or used, among other uses, to protect plants or wood or other plant products from harmful organisms; to regulate the growth of plants; to give protection against harmful creatures; or to render such creatures harmless.

The term pesticides therefore has a very broad definition which embraces herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, rodenticides, soil-sterilants, wood preservatives and surface biocides among others. A more complete definition and details of pesticides which fall outside the scope of the legislation is given in Regulation 3 of COPR.

Who is Affected by the Legislation?

Anyone who advertises, sells, supplies, stores or uses a pesticide is affected by the legislation, including people who use pesticides in their own homes, gardens and allotments.