Legislation Affecting the Production, Distribution, Storage and Use of Fertilisers in the 1990s

Keywords: Legislation, Fertilisers, Environment, Deregulation.

Legislation covers all aspects of fertiliser production, handling and use. Regulations are continuously being amended, added to or revoked. Keeping up to date requires a sound knowledge of the state of play at any time and some insight into future prospects. This paper gives the latest information on all major UK and European legislation affecting fertilisers. It looks forward to the next century and outlines possible changes in Consumer Protection, Health and Safety and Environmental legislation.

A previous paper, written in 1988, described the development of legislation in the UK and other countries and gave a brief outline of all the major legislation affecting fertiliser production, handling and use which was in force at that time. However, legislation does not stand still and is continually being added to, revised and amended. Thus any paper on the subject becomes out of date the day after it is written.

This paper attempts to bring the UK position up to date for the 1990s and will assess the likely developments to the end of the millenium. A move away from consumer protection legislation has not materialised to any great degree but as predicted in the previous paper, environmental issues have received a much higher priority.

The Fertiliser Industry has itself become more responsible for the effects of its products on the community and the environment. It seeks, through the publication of Codes of Practice and the training of advisory staff, to ensure the correct use of its products and an awareness of the value and importance of quality products. This move towards effective self-regulation is in recognition of the need to pre-empt overburdening legislation which may not be based on sound scientific or economic evidence.

D J Heather and G E N Lance, Fertiliser Manufacturers Association, Peterborough, UK.

35 pages, 20 refs.