Hello there and welcome !
This week's update will be all about Plant protection products in Sweden and what new changes are made to their regulations.
Let's dive into the first update :
Precision application by robot is permitted
(2025-03-13)
For a plant protection product that the Swedish Chemicals Agency (Kemikalieinspektionen) has authorised for spraying by boom sprayer or air-blast sprayer, the following applies for use of robot sprayers:
Robots giving the same or higher precision as a boom sprayer may be used for spreading plant protection products authorised for boom sprayers. In the same way, a spraying robot giving the same or higher precision as an air-blast sprayer may be used for spreading plant protection products authorised for air-blast sprayers.
If you want to use a robot sprayer, you hold the responsibility to ensure that at least the same precision is achieved.
Next update :
Derogation may be granted for drone applications for R&D purposes
(2025-02-04)
The Swedish Government has given the Swedish Environmental Protection Board (Naturvårdsverket) extended possibilites to grant derogation from the ban on aerial spraying of plant protection products.
The Board may now grant derogation for aerial spraying in accordance with a permit for research and development, given by the Swedish Chemicals Agency (Kemikalieinspektion).
The purpose is to enable research and development of applications of plant protection products, in particular via drones.
The amended rules are found in 2 Chapt. § 47 of the Swedish Ordinance (2014:425) on pesticides (in Swedish only) and came into force on 1 February, 2025.
Last Update :
New requirements for adjuvants from 1 January 2024
(2023-12-05)
The Swedish Chemicals Agency will start requesting more information on adjuvants in connection with an application for product authorisation for plant protection products. For both mandatory and recommended adjuvants, the Swedish Chemicals Agency will request information on the chemical name or trade name, full composition and demonstrated compatibility with the plant protection product.
For mandatory adjuvants, demonstrated efficacy together with the plant protection product is still required, which is already required today. The new requirements will apply to applications submitted from 1 January 2024.
The reason why the Swedish Chemicals Agency is requesting more information is that as of 24 March 2023, substances on Annex III to Regulation 1107/2009 may not be included in adjuvants for plant protection products. Annex III to Regulation 1107/2009 lists 144 co-formulants that are prohibited in both adjuvants for plant protection products and in plant protection products under Regulation (EU) 2021/383.
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We wish you an awesome day,
The sciBASICS Team.