Official Controls (Plant protection Products) Regulations 2020

These regulations (also termed the 2020 Regulations) came into force on 22nd June 2022 to allow regulatory authorities to take a more proactive approach to the enforcement of pesticide regulations, covering activities from plant protection products (PPP) being placed on the market through to the end user. A simple form was needed to be completed by businesses and professional users to register to comply with the regulations, with details to include name and address of business, contact details, whether PPPs are stored on site, if PPPs are used / applied, or if the organisation uses a third party to apply any PPPs, an estimate of the quantities used / applied, the sector (which is ‘Amenity' for sports surfaces), and whether they belonged to any assurance scheme that covered the use of PPPs.

Inspection visits can take place to ensure compliance with relevant pesticide regulations, although if businesses and users are demonstrating good practice, as is so often expressed within the grounds care industry and by various industry bodies then this will be of little concern. However, by contrast, if applied practice does not meet the routine rhetoric then quite rightly offenders should be penalised and prosecuted.