Removal of propiconazole ‘will have big impact’

By Alistair December 17, 2018 09:57 Updated

The EU Commission has announced that it will not renew the approval for the fungicide active ingredient, propiconazole.

As a result, all products containing propiconazole for any market, including turf management, will be withdrawn from sale over the coming months.

Approval was not renewed because it failed the cut off criteria given its classification linked to the potential to give rise to groundwater metabolites above permitted levels.

“This will impact significantly on control in grassland, particularly given the earlier loss of iprodione, but the UK government supported non-renewal,” explained Kate Hopkins, administrator at the Amenity Forum.

The date set for the final sale of products containing the active in the UK is June 19, 2019.

“We recognise the concerns that result from this decision,” added Hopkins.

“The continuing loss of active ingredients in the amenity market means that the quality of our sportsturf and amenity spaces is likely to suffer. In this particular case, the loss of any fungicide active is a concern in terms of loss of quality and range of tools for sportsturf managers to avoid current and potential disease resistance in the future.

“Integrated approaches to weed, pest and disease management are our priority but this needs to be based upon the widest options of non-chemical and chemical approaches, implemented by professionals fully supportive of the Amenity Forum’s commitment to best practice and to producing amenity spaces which are safe and healthy environments, fit for purpose.”

A member of the Amenity Forum added: ‘’The loss of this active does significantly reduce the sector’s options with the further loss of formulated products.

“This revocation in effect means that we have lost a multisite active ingredient which reduces further the number of modes of action we have available in the amenity sector.’’