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How SUD will impact retailers

Sheila Macken, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, explains how the Sustainable Use Directive will affect retailers.

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Horticulture

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20 July 2015

The Sustainable Use Directive (SUD) is a European Directive (Directive 2009/128/EC) that seeks to establish a framework to achieve a sustainable use of pesticides by reducing the risks and impacts of pesticide use on human health and the environment. It introduces new requirements surrounding the advice on sale, storage, supply and use of plant protection products (PPPs).

PPPs are categorized as either professional use or non-professional/amateur use products. Professional use products may only be applied by professional users, while non-professional/amateur use products may be used without restriction by any person.

The impacts of the implementation of the SUD on the wholesale and retail trade in PPPs can be divided into four key areas, namely, Training & Registration, Storage & Display, Advice and Record keeping requirements.

Training & Registration

From 26th November 2015, a registered pesticide distributor (PD) must be available at all times at the point of sale to ensure that adequate information is provided to customers as regards pesticide use and health and environmental risk and safety.

In order to register as a Pesticide Distributor (Professional Use Products), you must first successfully complete the QQI/FETAC Level 5 Handling and Distribution of Pesticides course (Code 5N2466), or equivalent.

In order to register as a PD (amateur/home garden products ONLY), you must first successfully complete the online course for Pesticide Distributors of non-professional/amateur products. This course is being facilitated by IASIS and can be accessed at www.iasis.ie.

Storage and Display

Wholesale and retail premises involved in the storage and distribution of PPPs must comply with specific requirements depending on the category of PPP being handled. All premises storing or distributing PPPs must register with the DAFM before the 26th November 2015.

From this date, only registered premises can be used for storage of pesticides for the purposes of sale or supply and the premises must comply with a standard determined by the DAFM. Minimum storage standards have been established and details of these are available on the DAFM website.

Distribution stores will be inspected on an on-going basis by officers of the DAFM. If the store is found not to comply with the required standard, the necessary remedial actions will be identified in a compliance notice. Failure to complete these remedial actions may result in the premises being removed from,  or failing to be included on, the register until the improvements are made and re-inspected.

Volumes of PPPs in excess of 500 litres must be stored in a specially constructed pesticide store that fulfils the requirements for the design and construction of pesticide stores.

Advice

Advice given by a Pesticide Distributor is limited to general information regarding the risks posed by pesticides to human health and the environment, on storage requirements and on handling and safe disposal.

Record keeping

Since 1st January 2014, records must be maintained for all sales of professional use PPPs made at  retail level. These records must include a herd number or professional user number, where appropriate, and must be maintained for five years. Record keeping requirements for retailers of amateur use PPPs is limited to details of records of purchases, i.e. goods in documentation.

For more information on this topic and to ensure you are meeting these requirements visit www.pcs.agriculture.gov.ie/sud.

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