Bracken Control: End of the Asulam Emergency Authorisation Period

As Coordinator of the Bracken Control Group, I successfully applied for the Emergency Authorisation (EA) that has allowed Asulam to be used for bracken control this summer.

Asulam is currently not registered for use in the EU and it can only made available under emergency provisions. The 120-day authorisation period expires today, but we now enter a use-up period that runs until the end of October. During the use-up period it is still possible to store and apply asulam, and if you have any in unopened containers it is possible to return stocks to the manufacturer through your distributor. From 1 November 2015, it will be illegal to store Asulam.

I have drafted the application for a further EA in 2016, and if successful, this will allow the use of Asulam to continue for a further year. The registration process will hopefully lead to the registration of the product for use in the EU once again, but the response to this application is not expected until the end of 2016, at the earliest. In the meantime, the Bracken Control Group will be working with the UK authorities to maintain a continuous supply of Asulam, which is so important to maintain biodiversity in our lowlands and uplands.

For more information see the Bracken Control website.