Defra has announced a ban on the outdoor use of metaldehyde slug pellets in a range of crops and gardens from Spring 2020.
The decision follows advice from the UK Expert Committee on Pesticides (ECP) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) that metaldehyde poses an unacceptable risk to birds and mammals.
Defra is encouraging the use of alternative active ingredients like ferric phosphate – and other ways to mitigate the impact of slugs and snails through through soil preparation (e.g. sowing seed deeper to prevent slugs from reaching them).
The outdoor use of metaldehyde will be phased out over 18 months to give growers time to adjust to other methods. It will be legal to sell metaldehyde products for outdoor use for the next six months, with use of the products then allowed for a further 12 months.
Environment Secretary Michael Gove said he recognised the significant effort put in by the Metaldehyde Stewardship Group to encourage growers and gardeners to use the pesticide responsibly by. “However, the advice is clear that the risks to wildlife are simply too great – and we must all play our part in helping to protect the environment.”
The new restrictions are also designed to reduce the possibility of contaminating drinking water sources.
Defra is encouraging the use of alternative active ingredients like ferric phosphate – and other ways to mitigate the impact of slugs and snails through through soil preparation (e.g. sowing seed deeper to prevent slugs from reaching them).
