Have you registered with GB-OCR yet? Yet more legislation for weed control users

The Amenity Forum have recently published information concerning new government legislation.

VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR ALL USERS OF PLANT PROTECTION PRODUCTS

If your business uses plant protection products in Great Britain in a professional capacity, you are legally required to appear on a central register by June 22^nd, 2022. This applies to all organisations whatever your size or business structure. The requirement is governed by the Official Controls (Plant Protection Products) Regulations 2020 (OCR) and failure to register is breaking the law. This legal requirement is being backed up by increased inspections and will be enforced.

So, whether you are a one-person business, a golf club, a lawn care business, contractor or whatever, this requirement applies to you and action is needed now. Further information on how to register is on the HSE official website where you will be directed to the government website where you can download the appropriate form. In essence the form requires you to provide general information on your business, how you work with plant protection products or adjuvants and all the quantities involved.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/professional-plant-protection-products-ppps-register-as-a-user

If your business produces, manufactures, processes, imports, distributes, sells, manufactures or otherwise places pesticides or components on the market, you were required to register using a separate form by 22 September 2021. If you believe your business is in this category and has not yet registered, be aware that you are currently operating outside the law and need to take immediate action.

In Northern Ireland, OCR is being applied but with different timescales. An online registration is available for suppliers of plant protection products and adjuvants which should have been completed by the end of March 2022. Further information on registration for users is yet to be released.

More information on the government website provides further details. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/professional-plant-protection-products-ppps-register-as-a-user/how-to-register-as-a-user-of-professional-plant-protection-products-ppps-and-adjuvants

You may download the information from the Amenity Forum here

Who must register

You must register as a business, organisation or sole trader that uses professional PPPs and any adjuvants in Great Britain (England, Scotland or Wales).

You need to register if you:

1. use professional PPPs and any adjuvants as part of your work
2. have professional PPPs and any adjuvants applied by a third party as part of your work in agriculture or horticulture, amenities or forestry

You do not need to register if you use amateur PPPs, such as in your garden.

The form requires you to state which sector or sectors you work in.

Agriculture and horticulture

This includes work in agriculture or horticulture such as farming or maintaining arable crops, forage crops or livestock, or treating seeds.

Amenity

This includes work in gardening, landscaping, grounds maintenance, or another role in an amenity setting such as in:

1. schools
2. parks
3. sports grounds, including golf courses
4. public or private property
5. infrastructure, such as roads, railways and waterways
6. utilities, such as transport and water firms

Forestry

This includes work in forests or woodlands, such as in:

1. tree management
2. tree planting
3. use of forests or woodland

Addresses related to PPP activity

We are registering your business addresses. If you are a business or organisation that uses professional PPPs and any adjuvants, you must register every address where you:

1. store them
2. keep records
3. apply them, if on your business property such as land you own or rent

You should not add the addresses where you apply PPPs for clients on their land.

Enter all addresses that apply. For example, if you store PPPs and any adjuvants at 2 addresses, and keep records at a separate office, you must provide the details of all 3.

It does not matter that some addresses will be registered twice, by both a landowner and their tenant, for example.

Temporary addresses

You must register at least one permanent business address. You do not need to register temporary addresses, for example addresses you will only use for up to 2 years.

Variable use of PPPs

If the amount of PPPs that you use changes year by year, you should enter an amount that you would use in a typical year. If you use PPPs during some years but not others, give the typical amount that you would use in a year that you do.

How to register

Download and fill in a form to register as a business, organisation or sole trader that uses professional PPPs and any adjuvants in Great Britain.

Kersten UK Ltd are members of the Amenity Forum. We regularly attend events and get involved in the the dialogue of the forum. We have a good understanding together with practical and meaningful experience of Integrated Weed Management which is a viable alternative to using PPP's including Glyphosate to control weeds. Please get in touch if you wish to learn about alternative weed control and weed prevention solutions.