The document discusses the key issues sports turf managers will need to address regarding the new UK Pesticides Regulations coming into effect in 2012 and beyond. This includes obtaining proper certification for pesticide users and supervisors, developing integrated pest management policies and procedures, ensuring application equipment is properly inspected, and protecting vulnerable areas from pesticide use. Turf managers should review their certification levels, pest management methods, application equipment, and staff training to ensure compliance with the new regulations.

1. Incorporating Jon Allbutt Associates
The New Pesticides Regulations – The
Impact on the Sports Turf Manager
Jon Allbutt – Technical Director
Wednesday 5 September 2012

2. THE PLANT PROTECTION PRODUCTS
(SUSTAINABLE USE) REGULATIONS 2012 –
KEY ISSUES
• Operator/Supervisor Certification
• The National Action Plan and establishing
integrated pest management policies and
procedures
• Protecting vulnerable areas, including people
• Testing (MOT) for application equipment
• Reviewing/updating application equipment

3. CERTIFICATION FOR USERS AND
SUPERVISORS
• No change for those with a fully up to date
Certificate of Competence
• Establishing a best practice approach to
maintaining high levels of competence
• Reviewing current levels of certification for
operators, supervisors and managers
• Grandfather rights cease in November 2013

4. THE UK NATIONAL ACTION PLAN
• UKGov is consulting on the National Action Plan
now but this ends on 22 October 2012
• Key points – a range of statutory and non
statutory (best practice) measures – protection
of vulnerable areas e.g. water, bystanders, and
environmentally sensitive areas
• Why is this important?
• What you can do?

5. INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT
• What is IPM? ―adopting an integrated approach,
drawing on all available techniques to tackle pests,
diseases and weeds”
• Many amenity employers have no IPM policies and
procedures. This must be in place, and in practice, for all
professional users by January 2014
• Are alternative non-pesticide products worth trying?
Ignore the sales leaflet, ask for the technical trial data
relevant to your needs!
• Getting started
• Monitoring outcomes

6. PESTICIDES APPLICATION EQUIPMENT
• Statutory testing regime for new, and old, equipment
• UK derogation for small sprayers e.g. hand held and
sprayers with less than a 3m boom.
• Most amenity applicators will be outside the statutory
testing regime – this means that owners of smaller
applicators will need to have their own arrangements in
place for checking that this equipment is safe to use both
for the operator and the environment (COSHH)
• Reviewing the specification for your application equipment,
considering alternatives application systems
• Be guided by the technical data, not the sales leaflets!
• Changes to nozzle design, spray pattern and spray quality

7. APPLICATION EQUIPMENT
• (2) A person who owns or leases specified equipment that was purchased for the first time
on or before 26th November 2011 must ensure that it is inspected before 26th November
2016.
• (3) Paragraph (2) ceases to have effect on 26th November 2016.
• (4) A person who owns or leases specified equipment that was purchased for the first time
after 26th November 2011 and is less than five years old starting with the date of first
purchase must ensure that it is inspected before the fifth anniversary of the date of first
purchase.
• (5) A person who owns or leases specified equipment that is more than five years old
starting with the date of first purchase must ensure that—
• (a) prior to 26th November 2020 such equipment is inspected at least once every five
years;
• (b) after 26th November 2020 such equipment is inspected at least once every three years.
• (6) Where by 26th November 2020 specified equipment that is more than five years old
starting with the date of first purchase has not been inspected for three years, the person
who owns or leases that equipment must ensure that it is inspected by that date.

8. SUMMARY
• Please go to www.defra.gov.uk/consult and read the draft National
Action Plan and comment on it. Make sure to copy your comments
to the Amenity Forum www.amenityforum.co.uk
• Review your current levels of operator and supervisor certification to
use pesticides – contact us if you need advice and more training
• Review your current methods of pest management, identify any
vulnerable areas and examine your systems for protecting
bystanders; prepare a draft integrated policy document – we can
help you with this
• Review your application equipment – is it up to date – has it had an
‘MOT’ yet – does it need replacing?
• Prepare plans for training your staff so that they are ready to put
your integrated approach into action – we can help with this too!

9. THANK YOU – QUESTIONS?
JON ALLBUTT
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
BRITRISK SAFETY LTD
020 8325 0232
07712 196406
jon@britrisksafety.com