This Code of Practice is for all professional users of plant protection products in England and Wales in respect of Part III of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 (FEPA) and the regulations controlling pesticides, particularly plant protection products, under that part of the Act.
It replaces three previous codes of practice from 15 December 2005:
- the Code of Practice for the Safe Use of Pesticides on Farms and Small Holdings ("the Green Code")
- the Code of Practice for the use of Approved pesticides in Amenity Areas and Industrial Areas ("the Orange Code") a voluntary code produced by the National Association of Agricultural Contractors and the British Agrochemical Association
- those parts of the Code of Practice for the safe use of Pesticides for Non-Agricultural Purposes - The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1999 ("the Blue Code") which deal with forestry.
The Code’s statutory basis means that it can be used in evidence if people are taken to Court for offences involving pesticides.
Availability of the code
Copies of the code of Practice can be downloaded from this website. Please see links below. Alternatively you can get printed copies by emailing: casu@hse.gsi.gov.uk
Erratum Page 56 - Amendment to Code of Practice for Using Plant Protection Products
New Paragraph 3.7.4 of the Code of Practice for Using Plant Protection Products
The code of practice for using plant protection products was published by Defra in February 2006. Unfortunately, after publication, the Pesticide Safety Directorate (now the Chemicals Regulation Directorate) discovered an error in paragraph 3.7.4 on public access and rights of way. Our mistake was in the reference to the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, specifically the possibility of temporary closure of rights of way during ‘prescribed dangerous works’ not yet being implemented.
We have amended paragraph 3.7.4 which is given below
The Code of Practice download
Complete Code of Practice for Using Plant Protection Products
Code of Practice for Using Plant Protection Products (pdf, 168 pages)
In sections
Contents and Official Status (pdf, 15 pages)
Section 1: Introduction (pdf, 4 pages)
Section 2: Training and certification (pdf, 8 pages)
Section 3: Planning and preparation (pdf, 44 pages)
Section 4: Working with pesticides (pdf, 23 pages)
Section 5: Disposing of pesticide waste (pdf, 8 pages)
Section 6: Keeping records (pdf, 8 pages)
Annexes and End (pdf, 58 pages)
