The Government has announced that it will be banning the outdoor use of metaldehyde.
The ban will come into effect from Spring 2020 in Great Britain and is the result of studies carried out by the UK Expert Committee on Pesticides and the Health & Safety Executive showing that the chemical has an unacceptable effect on birds and mammals. Farmers will still be able to use ferric phosphate to control slugs, which it says is less harmful to the environment.
It will be legal to sell metaldehyde products for outdoor use for the next six months, with use of the products then allowed for a further 12 months.
The Government also says that the restrictions on metaldehyde will help water companies continue to meet robust drinking water standards.
For more information on how Claydon stubble management helps control slug populations mechanically, using the straw harrow and TerraStar, see the links below: