{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/control-of-pesticides-regulations-1986/regulation-3",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/control-of-pesticides-regulations-1986/regulation-3.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/1986/1510",
  "legislation_title": "The Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/control-of-pesticides-regulations-1986",
  "path": "regulation/3",
  "kind": "regulation",
  "number": "3",
  "heading": "Scope",
  "text": "(1) Subject to the following provisions of this regulation, these regulations apply to pesticides and to any substance, preparation or organism prepared or used for any of the following purposes—\n(a) protecting plants or wood or other plant products from harmful organisms;\n(b) regulating the growth of plants;\n(c) giving protection against harmful creatures;\n(d) rendering such creatures harmless;\n(e) controlling organisms with harmful or unwanted effects on water systems, buildings or other structures, or on manufactured products;\n(f) protecting animals against ectoparasites,\nas if it were a pesticide.\n(2) These regulations do not apply to—\n(a) organisms other than bacteria, protozoa, fungi, viruses, and mycoplasmas, used for destroying or controlling pests;\n(b) substances whose use or sale within the United Kingdom is controlled under any of the following enactments—\nMedicines Act 1968;\nAgriculture Act 1970 Part IV;\nFood Act 1984;\nFood and Drugs (Scotland) Act 1956;\nThe Cosmetics Products (Safety) Regulations 1984;\nwhen those substances are used or sold for the purpose over which control under that enactment is exercised;\n(c) substances prepared or used for the purpose of disinfecting, bleaching or sterilising any substance (including water), other than soils, compost or other growing medium;\n(d) substances used in laboratories for the purpose of the micropropagation of plants or substances used in the production of novel food;\n(e) substances designed and used for—\n(i) the stimulation of the growth of plants, excluding materials which act as plant growth hormones, or which mimic the action of such materials;\n(ii) the modification of micro-biological processes in soil, excluding soil sterilants;\n(iii) assistance in the anaerobic fermentation of silage;\n(f) pesticides—\n(i) used in adhesive pastes, decorative paper or textiles;\n(ii) intended solely for exportation from the United Kingdom;\n(iii) used as part of a manufacturing process, other than for the purpose of preserving timber or timber products or in the production of food;\n(iv) used in preparations intended for topical application to human beings for the purpose of repelling insects;\n(v) used in metal working fluids;\n(vi) used in paint;\n(vii) used in water supply systems or in swimming pools.\n(3) Notwithstanding sub-paragraph (2)(f)(iii) and (vi) above, “pesticides” in paragraph (1) above shall include paints used to prevent the fouling of the hulls of vessels or structures below the waterline, or applied to nets, floats or other apparatus used in the cultivation of fish.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [
    {
      "type": "substituted",
      "affecting": "uksi/1997/188",
      "affecting_title": "The Control of Pesticides (Amendment) Regulations 1997"
    },
    {
      "type": "added",
      "affecting": "uksi/2001/880",
      "affecting_title": "The Biocidal Products Regulations 2001"
    },
    {
      "type": "words substituted",
      "affecting": "uksi/2013/1478",
      "affecting_title": "The Cosmetic Products Enforcement Regulations 2013"
    },
    {
      "type": "omitted",
      "affecting": "uksi/2013/1506",
      "affecting_title": "The Biocidal Products and Chemicals (Appointment of Authorities and Enforcement) Regulations 2013"
    },
    {
      "type": "words substituted",
      "affecting": "uksi/1990/2487",
      "affecting_title": "The Food Safety Act 1990 (Consequential Modifications) (No 2) (Great Britain) Order 1990"
    },
    {
      "type": "words inserted",
      "affecting": "uksi/1994/3142",
      "affecting_title": "The Marketing Authorisations for Veterinary Medicinal Products Regulations 1994"
    },
    {
      "type": "words omitted",
      "affecting": "uksi/2011/2131",
      "affecting_title": "The Plant Protection Products Regulations 2011"
    },
    {
      "type": "words omitted",
      "affecting": "uksi/2011/2131",
      "affecting_title": "The Plant Protection Products Regulations 2011"
    }
  ],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1986/1510/regulation/3",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T16:42:09.771648+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}