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WARNING - Illegal Use of Pesticides

With grateful thanks to a query from one of our members, it has recently come to the notice of the Association that since 1985 and 1986 it has been illegal to use un-licensed home produced remedies in gardening.

The Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 (FEPA)

and

The Control of Pesticide Regulations 1986 (COPR)

Under FEPA, a pesticide is any substance, preparation or organism prepared or used, among other uses, to protect plants or wood or other plant products from harmful organisms; to regulate the growth of plants; to give protection against harmful creatures; or to render such creatures harmless.

The term pesticides therefore has a very broad definition which embraces herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, rodenticides, soil-sterilants, wood preservatives and surface biocides among others.

This includes people who use pesticides in their own homes, gardens and allotments.

Before any pesticide can be used, sold, supplied, advertised or stored it must be approved for use.

These approvals are granted by the Pesticides Safety Directorate (PSD) on behalf of Ministers under a range of specific pesticide-related legislation.

PSD deals with the approval of agricultural pesticides

(known as plant protection products).

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Roughly translated, this means that the use of ALL home-produced, traditional, handed down remedies is now illegal.

By publishing this information, Newton-le-Willows Gardeners' Association warns all its members against using those old, tried and tested, traditional home-made remedies since the user would be liable to prosecution.

In accordance with the above, please ignore any 'Home Remedy' articles previously printed in any of our recent newsletters which were collected from gardening books written by reputable authors.

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Newton-le-Willows Gardeners' Association