Zineb loses its UK approval

24 May 2001



Zineb loses its UK approval

By FARMERS WEEKLY staff

ZINEB, the protectant dithiocarbamate fungicide for use in potatoes and horticultural crops, is to lose its approval for use in the UK.

The move stems from its non-inclusion in the EU Annex 1 list of approved active ingredients.

Following notification to the EU that it was no longer being supported in the EU review programme.

Authorisations will be revoked within six months, says the Pesticide Safety Directorate.

But disposal, storage and use of existing stocks will remain legal for 18 months from the March 2001 decision.

Pesticide producers fear the EU review programme could leave only 300 active ingredients in use in Europe, compared to 850 when it began 10 years ago.

And they are concerned that approval for use of those active ingredients may well be limited to large-scale crops, squeezing out those for niche use.

Older, generic products are most likely to be dropped by manufacturers, as future returns do not justify the cost of compiling the required information.

• Brussels threat to niche growers, FWi, 12 January, 2001
  

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