Banned and Non-Authorised Pesticides in the United Kingdom
Active Substances Banned in The European Union Under Council Directive 79/117/EEC* and Regulation(EC) No 850/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council
Council Directive 79/117/EEC* and Regulation (EC) No. 850/2004** of the European Parliament and of the Council prohibit the placing on the market and the use of plant protection products containing certain active substances which, even if applied in an approved manner, could give rise to harmful effects on human health or the environment. These active substances are set out below.
Mercury Compounds
Mercuric oxide (mercury oxide)
Mercurous chloride (calomel)
Other inorganic mercury compounds
Alkyl mercury compounds
Alkoxyalkyl and aryl mercury compounds
Persistent Organochlorine Compounds
Aldrin
Chlordane
Dieldrin
DDT
Endrin
HCH containing less than 99% of gamma isomer
Heptachlor
Mirex
Camphechlor (toxaphene)
Hexachlorobenzene
Other Compounds
Ethylene oxide
Nitrofen
1,2 Dibromoethane (Ethylene dibromide)
1,2 Dichloroethane (Ethylene dichloride)
Dinoseb, its acetate and salts
Binapacryl
Captafol
Dicofol containing less than 78% of p.p.1 –dicofol or more than 1g/kg DDT and DDT related compounds
Maleic hydrazide and its salts, other than its choline, potassium and sodium salts
Choline, potassium and sodium salts of maleic hydrazide containing more than 1mg/kg of free hydrazine expressed on the basis of the acid equivalent
Quintozene containing more than 1g/kg of HCB or more than 10g/kg pentachlorobenzene
Withdrawn Active Substances
In addition to the banned substances listed above, large numbers of substances have been withdrawn following reviews. This may be for reasons of safety or because companies took commercial decisions not to support substances through the review process. National reviews have been conducted in the UK in the past, but this work is now co-ordinated at EC level under Council Directive 91/414/EEC. For more information about the EC review programme please follow this link.
Active Substances Banned in the UK
In addition to the substances listed as being banned in the European Union, the UK has also banned the following substances:
|
ACTIVE SUBSTANCE |
EFFECTIVE DATE OF BAN |
REASON FOR BAN |
|---|---|---|
|
Antu (thiourea) |
1966 |
Evidence of carcinogenicity |
|
Azobenzene |
1975 |
Evidence of carcinogenicity |
|
Cadmium Compounds |
1965 |
Evidence of carcinogenicity |
|
Calcium arsenate |
1968 |
High acute toxicity; persistance in soil; evidence of carcinogenicity |
|
Chlordecone |
1977 |
Evidence of carcinogenicity |
|
Cyhexatin |
1988 |
Evidence of teratogenicity |
|
Methyl mercury |
1971 |
Environmental hazard (accumulation in the food chain) |
|
Phenylmercury salicylate |
1972 |
Acute toxicity; accumulation in the environment |
|
Potassium arsenite |
1961 |
Acute toxicity to wildlife and livestock |
|
Selenium compounds e.g.sodium selenate |
1962 |
Acute toxicity to humans and livestock |
|
Sodium arsenite |
1961 |
Acute toxicity to wildlife and livestock |
|
1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane |
1969 |
Acute and chronic toxicity to humans |
Notes
*The consolidated text of Council Directive 79/117/EEC
** The consolidated text of Regulation (EC) No 850/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council