NETHERLANDS: DRAFT REGULATION AMENDING THE REGULATION GOVERNING COMPOSITION, CLASSIFICATION, PACKAGING AND LABELLING OF PESTICIDES The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6. G/TBT/Notif.96.460. 1. Member to Agreement notifying: NETHERLANDS. If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2). 2. Agency responsible: Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment. Agency or authority designated to handle comments regarding the notification can be indicated if different from above: National Enquiry Point. 3. Notified under Article 2.9.2. 4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable): Anorganic copper-chromium-arsenic salts for preserving woods. 5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document: Draft Regulation Amending the Regulation Governing Composition, Classification, Packaging and Labelling of Pesticides (2 pages, in English). 6. Description of content: In accordance with the Pesticides Act (1962), this Regulation contains requirements relating to the composition of anorganic copper-chromium-arsenic salts which are intended for preserving wood. The relevant requirements are included in the Regulation governing composition, classification, packaging and labelling of pesticides. With regard to pesticides based on the combination of copper-chromium-arsenic salts, the ratio of the content of these substances, calculated on the basis of 100 per cent oxides, is to meet the following requirements: Copper, calculated as CuO: 19 approximately 2 per cent; chromium, calculated as CrO3: 50 approximately 5 per cent; arsenic, calculated as As205: 31 approximately 3 per cent. 7. Objective and rationale: Anorganic copper-chromium-arsenic salts are toxic, carcinogenic, non-degradable substances which can accumulate in the environment The reason for drafting requirements relating to the composition is to obtain a sufficiently high level of protection for man and the environment. The use of wood treated with these pesticides may lead to the pollution of surface water andsoil. Leaching and erosion may cause environmental standards and limit values for soil and water quality to be exceeded. If these substances are in continuous use, the possibility of these ending up in the ground water cannot be ruled out. Anorganic copper-chromium-arsenic salts can be split up into types A, B and C. The difference between these types is the ratio of the contents of the respective components. It has become clear that this ratio affects the extent to which leaching from preserved wood occurs. Copper-chromium-arsenic salts with a composition which meets the requirements to be included (type C) tend to have lower leaching levels than copper-chromium-arsenic salts with a different composition (types A and B). 8. Relevant documents: Pesticides Act; Regulation on composition, classification, packaging and labelling of pesticides. 9. Proposed date of adoption: 1 April 1997; Proposed date of entry into force: 1 April 1997. 10. Final date for comments: 3 January 1997. 11. Text available from: National enquiry point. (0023)

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