Pesticides ban from 2019

Just noticed in our latest bi-annual village bulletin that private individuals will not be allowed to use garden pesticides from 1st Jan 2019. Is this a country-wide thing or regional and does anyone know if the same is going to be true for herbicides?

Best to stock up on ant powder then! Not heard anything like that here (in the Creuse) yet.

It’s nationwide

La commercialisation et la détention de produits phytosanitaires à usage non professionnel seront interdites à partir du 1er janvier 2019. Cette mesure concerne tout particulièrement les jardiniers amateurs.

It seems to just be gardens so I’m assuming fly spray will still be OK.

Isn’t this a ban on weedkillers such as glyphosates?
Monsanto won’t be happy, shame😄

This has been on the cards for quite some time now… here is perhaps one of the latest articles. Basically, the more dangerous substances are being phased out and “natural” alternatives being phased in.

and here is the Government’s stance…

Yes, that’s the same link I posted. Glyphosphates have been banned since 2015 I think.

Time to buy one of these

sorry Paul… yes, you did… I was getting carried away… :relaxed:

A lot of communes have already implemented this ban. It refers to “amateur” (as it says on French tins) use of pesticides in town centres. It refers mainly to spraying of weedkiller on pavements. It doesn’t affect farmers with the diploma “Certiphyto” so crop spraying with non neonicotinoid products, neither does it affect Pest Control professionals with the relevant French diploma “Certibiocides”.

If you read the active ingredients/composition on the tins of your insect powder, aerosols, gels etc, if they end in “~inoids”, they will generally be banned. Products “~thrine” “~pride” “~oxyl” etc. are usually biodegradable and have an active life of up to 6 weeks*. Professionals will still be able to use these products for the control of insects in controlled environments (wasp/hornet nests) and large spectre (open spaces) for the control of mosquitoes, flies, locusts etc.

The ban is intended to prevent city centres being sterile zones, but pests are still fair game!

*these products are still considered as toxic commercial waste, so the disposal of these products must be done using the correct filtering system or recycling centre.

My work will be unaffected!

I have heard that “Roundup” and the like (Glyphosphates) have already been banned. However, my local Leclerc is still selling Roundup, therefore, I’m not sure what is the truth.