Comply with legislation

Legislation for rural chemicals

Legislation applies to the purchase, sale, licensing, use, transport, storage, disposal, workplace safety and environmental impact of rural chemicals.

The Agricultural and Veterinary Products (Control of Use) Act 2002:

  • provides a framework for chemical users
  • sets out what is responsible use
  • gives powers to control people.

Agricultural and Veterinary Products (Control of Use) Act 2002 overview (PDF 271.3 KB)

Regulations for rural chemicals

The Agricultural and Veterinary Products (Control of Use) Regulations 2017:

  • define label directions that must be followed
  • restrictions on certain chemicals
  • fertiliser standards.

Regulations for controlled pesticides

The Controlled Substances (Pesticides) Regulations 2017:

  • covers licensing for pest controllers.

Controlled Substances Act 1984

Apply for a Pest control licence on the sa.gov.au website.

Group 4 herbicides restrictions

Regulations requirements

Users of Group 4 herbicides in prescribed businesses and in prescribed areas of SA are required to:

  • Hold, as a minimum, a current statement of attainment for the competency unit AHCCHM307 ‘Prepare and apply chemicals' to control pests, weeds and diseases’. This competency unit forms part of the current suite of chemical training courses offered by the listed registered training organisations.
  • Keep accurate and complete records for a minimum of 2 years. The user must provide a copy of the spray records to the property manager/owner or business if not the same person.

Label requirements

Group 4 herbicide labels, particularly 2,4-D products, may include a drift warning such as:

DO NOT apply under weather conditions, or from spraying equipment, that may cause spray to drift onto nearby susceptible plants/crops, cropping lands or pastures. Avoid spray drift and vapour movement onto susceptible crops such as cotton, vines, tomatoes, vegetables, fruit trees, lucerne, legume crops and pastures, oilseed crops or other susceptible crops or trees.

DO NOT apply unless the wind speed is between 3 and 20 kilometres per hour at the application site during the time of application.

DO NOT apply by a boomsprayer unless spray droplets are not smaller than a very coarse spray droplet size category.

Extreme care near grape vines and other sensitive crops

Group 4 herbicides are known to drift and affect grape vines, and other susceptible horticultural crops, at very low levels.

Users of Group 4 herbicides in grape vines and other horticultural crops areas should:

  • avoid using them during the crop growing season
  • follow label instructions
  • monitor weather conditions before, during and after spraying.

Related information

Page last reviewed: 22 Jan 2015

 


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