Pesticides and biocides further information

Non-governmental organisations (NGO)

The Voluntary Initiative

The Voluntary Initiative provides guidance on best practice for using plant protection products, training and advice, and links to container recycling schemes and other initiatives to help you protect the environment and save money. The Voluntary Initiative applies to agriculture and horticulture.

The Voluntary Initiative
Crop Protection Association: Amenity

Pesticide Action Network UK

The Pesticide Action Network UK is an NGO that campaigns to reduce pesticide use and eliminate hazardous pesticides. They publish a list of pesticides that have potential harmful health or environmental impacts. 

Pesticide Action Network UK

Pesticide Forum

The Pesticide Forum oversees the work under the UK pesticides strategy and provides a forum for exchanging views.

Pesticides Forum

Registration authorities

The Chemicals Regulation Directorate (CRD) (part of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE)) ensures pesticides and biocides are used safely.  They approve pesticides and biocides for use and produce guidance for biocide and pesticide manufacturers and users.

Chemicals Regulation Directorate (CRD): Plant protection products
HSE: Biocides and non agricultural pesticides

Codes of practice and guidance

CRD: UK Pesticide Strategy -  A strategy for the sustainable use of plant protection products
CRD: The Yellow Code - Code of Practice for suppliers of pesticides to agriculture, horticulture and forestry (Adobe PDF - 915KB)
CRD: Code of practice for using plant protection products (England and Wales)
HSENI: Code of practice -The safe use of pesticides for non-agricultural purposes (Adobe PDF - 1.8MB)
Scottish Government: Code of practice for using plant protection products in Scotland
HSE: AIS16 - Guidance on storing pesticides for farmers and other professional users (Adobe PDF - 55KB)
HSE: Guidance for employers and technicians carrying out fumigation operations (Adobe PDF - 263KB)
HSE: CHIP guidance
DARDNI: Code of good agricultural practice (Northern Ireland)
Scotland’s Environmental and Rural Services (SEARS): Bracken spraying and other herbicide use
SEPA: Bracken control - a guide to best practice (Adobe PDF - 483KB)
Defra: Bracken control, vegetation restoration and land management (MS Word - 844KB) 
Forestry Commission: Pesticides publications and technical guidance

Other relevant NetRegs guidance

Guidance by business type

Agriculture
Forestry
Landscaping
Pest control

Guidance by environmental topic

Duty of care - your waste responsibilities
Environmental permits
Hazardous/special waste
Japanese knotweed, giant hogweed and other invasive weeds
Waste management licensing
Water pollution

Legislation

Pesticides and biocides legislation

In this guideline:

What are pesticides and biocides?
What do pesticide and biocide suppliers need to do?
What do pesticide and biocide users need to do?
Approval of pesticides and biocides
Disposing of pesticides and biocides
How to deal with incidents involving pesticides and biocides
Pesticides and biocides further information
Pesticides and biocides legislation