HL Deb 29 October 1981 vol 424 c1191WA
Lord Melchett

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they approve the use of the persistent organo-chlorine clordane to poison worms on lawns and turf, and whether they agree that such use is explicitly forbidden by Annex B of the EEC Directive on the use of persistent organo-chlorines.

Earl Ferrers

Chlordane is among those persistent organo-chlorine substances which are listed in Annex B to European Community Directive 79/117 and which cannot therefore be used for plant protection purposes except in certain specified circumstances. No such uses of chlordane are permitted in the United Kingdom but, during the preparation of this directive, the use of this substance for the purposes to which the noble Lord refers was deemed to be outside its scope. The Government are satisfied that cleared products containing chlordane can safely be used for controlling earthworms in lawns and turf provided recommended precautions are followed.