Last week, the long awaited UK Pesticides National Action Plan was published. The action plan, constructed by The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), alongside the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish government, sets out a target of reducing pesticides use by 10% by 2030.

The report acknowledges that while pesticides play an important role in protecting crops for food production, preserving natural landscapes and preserving public spaces and sports grounds, there are also risks to biodiversity with over use. Alongside a documented risk to humans with increased exposure to pesticides, the report also sites pesticide resistance in plants that has been identified due to prolonged use.

The action plan highlights three overarching objectives:

1. Encourage update of Integrated pest management
2. Set clear targets and measures to monitor the use of pesticides
3. Strengthen compliance to ensure safety and better environmental outcomes

The UK Pesticides National Action Plan is a response to a December 2022 meeting of the Conference of Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, where a global target was set to reduce the risk from pesticides and hazardous chemicals by half by 2030.

The content of the Action Plan does not come as a surprise for anybody working within an environmental sector, with chemical use being at the forefront of conversations a substantial amount of time. The total weight of pesticide active substance being applied in an agricultural setting decreased in the UK by nearly 60% between 1990 and 2020, while it rose by around 90% across the globe in the same time frame.

Although considering the amenity sector within the report, the main focus appears to resolve around agriculture. However it is clear that any implemented restrictions will have an immediate impact on people within the turfcare industry. The reduction in the use of chemicals over the years has already had a lasting impact on the role, with the environment and pesticide and chemical use being a topic of discussion at many Turf Business events.

Read the full Action Plan here