The dangers of buying or introducing illegal plant protection products
The Law on PPP and the Regulation implementing (EC) Regulation concerning placing PPP on the market regulate PPP authorisation process. In very detailed authorisation procedure, evaluators assess PPP physical-chemical properties, PPP impact on human health and exposure (of operators, other workers and bystanders). Evaluators assess also pesticide residues in food and feed, PPP impact on non-target organisms, fate and behaviour in the environment and also efficacy against harmful organisms for intended use. Based on these evaluations the authorisation decision is issued, defining allowed uses of PPP (on which plants and against which harmful organisms or weeds), the conditions of use and risk mitigation measures operators shall respect during the use of PPP in question.
These are the reasons that any use of unauthorised PPP, or use of PPP bought in other countries without possessing a permit (a permit for parallel trade, a permit for research and development, a permit for emergency use) is not allowed.
PPP not legally authorised are:
- Counterfeit PPP not produced by original producers. Their composition does not corespond to the authorisation decision or one of other permits for placing on the market and use issued by the Administration for food safety, veterinary and plant protection (AFSVPP). The packaging and labelling may be simmilar to original products and counterfeit PPP are difficult to identify.
- PPP that we buy in other countries without possessing a special permit. The permit ensures that the PPP in question was evaluated as safe for use in Slovenian conditions.
PPP counterfeiting is a growing problem faced worldwide. Criminal groups often carry out counterfeiting for gaining illegal profits regardless consequences for the users of these products.
AFSVPP warns all PPP users that counterfeit products consist of unverified substances. They may contain a different active substance or they do not contain any active substance at all; thus they do not provide a desired effect. They may contain too large quantities of forbidden substances leaving unauthorised residues in food and feed. They may have dangerous physical chemical properties and they are incorrectly labelled. In most cases counterfeit products endanger crop production, human health and the environment, and they cause economic damage. Using counterfeit products containing dangerous substances may result in treated soil to become unsuitable for cultivation for several years.
Use of counterfeit PPP is forbidden by Law and it is subject to penalties. Competent services, including competent AFSVPP inspection service, carry out the persecution of conuterfeit products.
How do we recognise counterfeit PPP?
Counterfeit PPP are usually cheaper than original PPP and they rich customers through unusual routes:
- sellers often bring them to the settlements in a van,
- customers buy them abroad or online without a special permit,
- sellers require cash for payment,
- sellers offer the products at a lover price,
- the label and instruction for use are in foreign language or the language is incorrect,
- the instruction for use, graphic symbols and standard warning phrases are incorrect or missing.
- Buy PPP in authorised selling points only and ask for the invoice,
- Internet sales of PPP for professional use is not allowed in the Republic of Slovenia; never buy PPP for professional use on line,
- Never buy PPP in other countries if you have not acquired a permit for parallel trade,
- If you are buying PPP in a door to door offering system, check whether the seller has got a permit for PPP selling and is he listed in a register of distributors. Write down the name of the person selling the PPP to you and ask for the invoice,
- When buying always check the shelf life of the PPP (best before date),
- In case you encounter advertising or offering unauthorised PPP in the Republic of Slovenia, immediately inform the competent inspection service at AFSVPP,
- In case somebody offers you a PPP at a sigificantly lower price, or the PPP packaging is unusual, the instruction for use is not written in Slovenian language or it is written in irregular Slovenian language, always think of counterfeit products and inform the competent inspection service at AFSVPP.