Standards for active constituents for use in agricultural chemical products are published in the Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Code (Agricultural Active Constituents) Standards 2022 (the Standards), established under section 6E of the Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Code (the Code).
The Standards specify the identity and minimum purity for each active constituent, and where required, also specify the maximum limits for particular impurities of significance for toxicological, environmental, or quality reasons. The Standards assist the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) in ensuring that proposed active approvals and product registrations will satisfy the safety and efficacy criteria under sections 5A and 5B of the Code. The Standards also assist our Assessment, Investigations and Monitoring Team to ensure approved actives and registered products remain safe and effective and facilitate action taken against non-compliant products and active constituents under sections 83 and 102 of the Code.
Draft standards for proposed new active constituents are consulted on as part of the Gazette notice published for each proposed new active approval, as required under section 12 of the Code.
From time to time, existing standards may be revised as part of a chemical review, in response to new information, or to correct errors.
Periodic updates will be made to the Standards and will incorporate standards for new actives consulted on and approved since the previous update, and amended standards. These amendments will be formally consulted on via our website and/or the Gazette.