In a number of recent articles, we have tried to keep you updated on the implementation of the revised FSC Pesticides Policy. Our dedicated web page is the main source for UK-specific information on the Policy.
You may also have seen that draft International Generic Indicators (IGIs) for the use and risk management of Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs) are out for public consultation – and that the deadline for responses has been extended to 30 April 2020.
One of the transition arrangements for the Policy, set out on page 8, states that certificate holders who identify a need to use a HHP or other chemical pesticide, and who must therefore comply with Environmental and Social Risk Assessment (ESRA) requirements, must incorporate the requirements from the most recent published draft of the IGIs in their ESRAs. FSC International has now updated an interpretation (INT-POL-30-001_07) on this requirement, which states that:
In this context, ‘incorporate’ means that the CH shall review the most recent draft of the IGIs for the use of HHPs published by FSC International to identify aspects applicable to the HHP they intend to use, and, if relevant, bring these aspects into their ESRA.
For some time now, FSC UK and the UKWAS Steering Group have been working on national level ESRAs for key pesticides to help guide certificate holders’ work in this area. We hoped to publish these in the next couple of weeks, but it now seems sensible to review our ESRAs to make sure they are aligned with the draft IGIs.
“This is, of course, frustrating, as we have been promising these national level ESRAs for some time,” says FSC UK Forest Standards Manager Dr Owen Davies. “But there seems little point in providing guidance which doesn’t align with international requirements! We hope to review and, if necessary, revise our drafts as quickly as possible, well ahead of the August 2020 deadline for complying with ESRA requirements for many chemicals.”
Details of timescales for complying with ESRA requirements for different chemical pesticides are set out in the interpretation and explained in our national context on the FSC UK website. If you have any questions about this or any other aspects of the FSC Pesticides Policy, please contact Owen at owen@fsc-uk.org.