Using, Storing and Disposing of Plant Protection Products

Those who use, or cause or permit others to apply, plant protection products (PPPs) or who store and/or dispose of products are subject to a number of legal requirements.

These are derived from EU Legislation (Directive (EC) No. 2009/128). For details, go to the European Commission website. The legislation applies in all EU Member States. The Plant Protection Products (Sustainable Use) Regulations, 2012 help implement this legislation in the UK. The UK National Action Plan for the Sustainable Use of Pesticides details legislation applicable to users, those who cause or permit use and distributors. It also details other mechanisms and measures we use to ensure products are used, stored and disposed of in a sustainable fashion.

Key points to note are that:

Advice on using, storing and disposing of PPPs is available from a number of sources including the Code of Practice for Using Plant Protection Products and from the Voluntary Initiative and Amenity Forum. The law does not require anyone to follow this guidance, but by doing so individuals and organisations will be in a good position to demonstrate that they have been duly diligent in meeting legal requirements.

The current version of the Code of Practice pre-dates current EU legislation and should be read in conjunction with our accompanying guidance note.

Further Information

Updated 2021-10-07