Ban on creosote use in agriculture to come next year

From April 30 next year, the marketing and selling of agricultural/equine fencing that has been treated with the preservative creosote will be banned. 

The marketing and selling of agricultural/equine fencing that has been treated with the preservative creosote will be banned from next April.

Meanwhile, by December 31 this year, stores, merchants, and importers must ensure that all stocks of creosote products are sold to professional end-users or else returned to their supplier. 

February 28 is the final date for professional users to use these products for treatment of fencing.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has noted that a regulation renewing the approval for the biocide creosote for vacuum pressure impregnation of wood used for railway sleepers and telecommunication poles only has been agreed at EU level. 

This means that April 30 is the final date for selling timber treated with creosote except for railway sleepers and telecommunication poles.

The department said that authorisations of creosote-containing products will be amended to prohibit the sale and use of creosote products to treat agricultural/equine fencing. 

The Department of Agriculture specification for fencing will be updated to reflect the changed status of creosote, it said.