We stand at a real crossroads in our response to the challenge of developing new and better pesticides. The unreasoned “ban pesticides” approach must give way to a more informed debate on which crop-protection technologies will best serve the needs of both society and the environment.

It is very concerning to note the current state of the UK regulatory environment, particularly with respect to pesticide approvals.

Firstly, there is the waiting time as the Chemicals Regulation Division struggles with a backlog of pending approvals.

Secondly, there is the increased cost of a standalone approvals process for the limited domain of the UK.

Thirdly, there are the hazard-based principles that guide the approvals process.

The Government’s revision to the national action plan for the sustainable use of pesticides, due out later this year, will hopefully have a strategy to ensure that British growers, landscapers and gardeners are able to access the best, most sustainable crop-protection technologies at the earliest stage of their development.

A prohibitively bureaucratic and costly regulatory framework will jeopardise the future development of crop-protection systems in the UK, resulting either in unnecessary economic losses or a dependence on pesticides that we would all rather not be using.

This is an excerpt. Read the original post here.