Use of crop qualifier 'Permanent protection with full enclosure'
Since 2011 HSE has had crop qualifier 'Permanent protection with full enclosure' – which may be specified by HSE on Notices of Authorisation of certain plant protection products used in protected crop situations, together with the inclusion (where required) of three 'Other specific restrictions'(OSRs).
Before this, for plant protection products used on protected crops, the 'Situation of use' was specified on the 'Authorisation' by inclusion of the crop name/s followed in brackets by the qualifier 'Protected' – defined in HSE's 'Crop Hierarchy' as 'Any crop grown under a permanent or temporary cover'.
For products with insufficient evidence to demonstrate the environmental safety of field use, 'protected' crop use has in the past been further restricted to 'permanent protection' and /or 'glasshouse' situations. To help to more clearly define the 'Situation of use' and to maintain an appropriate level of environmental protection where data are not available to demonstrate an acceptable risk outdoors, authorisations will include use of a crop qualifier 'Permanent protection with full enclosure', together with where required the following 'OSRs':
- Treatment must only be made under 'permanent protection' situations which provide full enclosure (including continuous top and side barriers down to below ground level) and which are present and maintained over a number of years.
- Reasonable precautions must be taken to prevent access of birds, wild mammals and honey bees to treated crops.
- To minimise airborne environmental exposure, vents, doors and other openings must be closed during and after application until the applied product has fully settled.
The crop qualifier and associated OSRs are intended for inclusion on authorisations only where there is insufficient evidence to demonstrate safety from field use, with the less restrictive 'protected' crop qualifier (without OSRs) being used in other circumstances.
HSE's 'Crop definitions' has been reviewed and a new amended version issued – including the new 'Permanent protection with full enclosure' crop qualifier – which is in addition to (and does not replace) the existing 'Protected' qualifier.
Use of the new crop qualifier applies, where required, to newly issued authorisations (including experimental permits) and will not be retrospective.