Asulox banned for use this season because of health risks

For the past 10 years Asulox has been approved annually as part of an emergency authorisation process on behalf of the UK administrations by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

However the Scottish Government state that this year HSE considers that, for the first time, the use of the herbicide does not meet the legislative requirements for emergency authorisation.

Director of Air Agri, Andrew McGillivray, who operate helicopters for aerial spraying across the UK said: “I am shocked that the decision was taken, there was no discussion between the Scottish government and ourselves in the industry.

"The committee to discuss the chemical met in April and we had hoped to get the minutes within two weeks. But they were not published until two days before the government decision. The report used to make the decision was full in discrepancies and misinformation.”

Mr McGillivray explained that the company has lost £25,000 due to the lateness of the decision due to keeping air crew on a retainer.

Mairi Gougeon

Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon said: “The Scottish Government is acutely aware of the risks associated with uncontrolled bracken and did not take this decision lightly, basing our position on scientific evidence.

“The Health and Safety Executive advice to all four nations of the UK was not to authorise the use of Asulox because of the risks it poses human, animal and environmental health. Independent advice from the Chief Scientific Adviser and the Expert Committee on Pesticides supported this conclusion, and the Welsh Government have confirmed that they too will follow the HSE advice.

"The Scottish Government is committed to science based decision making, and we have followed the same, well established and evidence based process we always follow for the authorisation of chemicals.

“This decision will protect our natural environment and water resources, but while Asulox is only used on 2% of bracken in Scotland, we know that this will be challenging for those who hoped to use the herbicide this year. I therefore want to emphasise that support for bracken control through the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) continues for 2023."

Ms Gougeon continued: "Contracts for chemical and mechanical bracken control have been issued from the 2022 round of AECS which commence in 2023. Where contract holders had intended to undertake chemical control, we will offer flexibility to allow mechanical or manual activity. We are also taking forward further research on bracken control options and its impacts, and I look forward to engaging with stakeholders as part of a roundtable in the coming months to discuss this important issue.”

Professor Mathew Williams, the Scottish Government’s chief science adviser for environment, natural resources and agriculture said: "It is very important to make evidence based decisions and after considering the evidence, my recommendation is to follow HSE’s advice and refuse emergency authorisation of Asulox for bracken control.”