New UK pesticide regulatory directorate launched

A new directorate, the Chemicals Regulation Directorate (CRD), officially came into being today (1 April 2009.) CRD will deal with biocides, agrochemicals and REACH regulatory issues.

The formation of the CRD follows the transfer on 1 April 2008 of the Pesticides Safety Directorate (PSD) to the Health & Safety Executive (HSE). The new directorate will have 250 staff based in York and Bottle at an annual cost base of £18 million.

Kerr Wilson, currently chief executive of PSD, becomes director of CRD reporting directly to HSE’s chief executive Geoffrey Podger. Dr Wilson said: “Bringing together the delivery of HSE responsibilities for pesticides, biocides detergents and industrial chemicals into one directorate has the potential to provide all stakeholders with a better regulatory service.”

The main responsibilities for the new Directorate will include:

Regulatory controls on pesticides and biocides
Providing the UK Competent Authority role for REACH
Providing policy advice to Ministers for pesticides issues
Monitoring and surveillance of pesticides and taking enforcement action against illegal use.
Supporting the UK and EU reviews of the safety of chemicals on the market.
Technical aspects for classification and labelling of chemicals
Co-ordinating a programme of pesticide research and development
Providing the secretariat role for some committees (e.g. the Advisory Committee on Pesticides (ACP)

More information is available by clicking here.