Health and Safety
Executive / Commission
Biocides &
pesticides
HSE has contributed to a contingency plan developed by the Department of Health (DH) to set out procedures to be followed in the event of an outbreak of West Nile virus (WNV) in the UK. The contingency plan has now been issued, and is available from the Chief Medical Officer's home page on the Department of Health's web site.
It should be noted that in all cases an outbreak of WNV should only be considered as such if it is as specified in the DH contingency plan.
WNV may be transmitted from certain species of animal to humans by mosquitoes and part of the contingency plan involves the control of mosquitoes using pesticides regulated by HSE. In order to facilitate such activity, Ministers have considered certain specific products and the active ingredients that they contain, and agreed their use as part of a WNV control plan, subject to particular conditions of use. Ministers have therefore extended the approval of certain pesticide products containing particular active ingredients.
Certain products containing Bacillus thuringiensis var israelensis (Bti) may now be used on permanent waters to control mosquito larvae in the event of a WNV outbreak. Such products are known as 'larvicides'.
Particular products containing certain pyrethroid active ingredients may now be used outdoors to control adult mosquitoes in the event of a WNV outbreak. Such products are known as 'adulticides'.
These extensions are specific to mosquito control in the event of an outbreak of WNV. Mosquito control in such areas in the absence of a WNV outbreak is not permitted. Before treatment of mosquitoes associated with an outbreak of WNV may take place, the procedures specified in the DH contingency plan must be followed.
The approval extensions set precedents for mosquito control in the event of an outbreak of WNV. Therefore other products within the precedents that have been set may become available from time to time for use in any WNV control programme.
Downloadable labels specific to mosquito control during an outbreak of WNV are available below. When any additional products become available for this purpose, their respective downloadable product labels will be added to this web page.
It should be noted that the preference for certain products for adult mosquito control relates solely to the active ingredients contained in them, which Ministers have agreed as posing the least risk to the environment under the conditions set in place for WNV control. In the event of a serious outbreak of WNV in the UK (as specified in the DH's contingency plan), coupled with supply shortages of preferred products, the other products that are available for adult mosquito control during such an outbreak should be considered. Products that do not have a downloadable label and that have not been considered for use against mosquitoes during an outbreak of WNV should not be used. Pest control operators are reminded of the requirement to undertake a COSHH assessment prior to going ahead with any treatment.
The following downloadable product labels are available for pest control operators to use when necessary during an outbreak of WNV. Users should download the labels as required, print them off, familiarise themselves with them (paying particular attention to the conditions of use) and have them to hand during treatment of mosquitoes as part of any WNV control programme.
