Mar 11, 2011

Glossary

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Plant protection products

Active chemical or biological substances designed to protect plants against pests

Plant protection products include in particular insecticides (for combating insect pests), herbicides (for combating weeds) and fungicides (for combating fungi and spores).

In many countries, plant protection products are allowed onto the market only once they have been through an approval process and have been assessed as harmless to humans, animals and nature. Approval lasts for a maximum of ten years, after which time the product is reassessed in accordance with the latest developments in science and technology. The approval process also specifies how a plant protection product is to be used, e.g. whether certain minimum distances from lakes and rivers have to be respected or whether it can only be applied using a particular technology.