An adjuvant is a substance other than water which is not in itself a pesticide but which enhances or is intended to enhance the effectiveness of the pesticide with which it is used. Adjuvants for use with agricultural pesticides have been categorised as extenders, wetting agents, sticking agents and fogging agents.
Schedule 3, paragraph 5(1) of the Control of Pesticides Regulations (COPR) permits the use of an adjuvant with a pesticide only where:
- the use is in accordance with the conditions of approval of the pesticide;
- the adjuvant appears on a list of adjuvants published by The Secretary of State and Ministers; and
- the use is in accordance with any conditions to which use of that adjuvant with that pesticide is subject.
Legislative controls over adjuvants
The legislative controls for adjuvants differ to those for pesticides and has an impact on how CRD considers applications for adjuvants.
This section also contains detailed information on the definition of an adjuvant, the Official List and construction of the individual List Entries and the associated identity of an adjuvant product.
The registration process
The Applicant Guide provides guidance on the procedures for submitting an application to CRD regarding the inclusion of an adjuvant on the Official List of adjuvants, how we will process the application, what should be included in an application and what happens once an application is complete.
Adjuvant product list entries
Details of all the conditions to which use of particular adjuvants are subject can be found on our adjuvant information database.
