Background • DEFRA has issued a Plant Health Licence to SEAES, University of Manchester to import, move and keep prohibited soil for chemical and physical analysis • Awareness of the DEFRA Licence requirements and the precautions necessary to ensure that they are carried out is essential for all SEAES personnel who are involved in any way in handling licensed material. • This presentation outlines these requirements, standard operating procedures and sources of further information

Audience • This presentation is intended for and should be viewed and understood by all SEAES personnel who fulfill any of the following criteria: • (i) are involved in importing soils, sediments, waters or plants into the UK • (ii) are involved in handling DEFRA licensed materials • (iii) are working at any time in any laboratories in which DEFRA licensed materials are handled • (iv) are supervising or managing any of the personnel fulfilling any of the criteria (i), (ii) or (iii)

Am I required to view this presentation ? • If you are involved in any way in the importation of soils, sediments, waters or plants into the UK, then YES, you should view at least sufficient of this presentation to determine whether or not such importation is required to carried out under the auspices of the SEAES DEFRA Licence.

Reasons for DEFRA PHL (I) • Around the world there are many plant pests and diseases which, if they were to become established in Great Britain, could cause serious damage to our crops and plants.

Reasons for DEFRA PHL (II) • To guard against the spread of harmful organisms, official controls apply to the import, movement and keeping of plnats, plant pests and other materials e.g. soil. • These controls are based on EC and UK legal provisions

Glossary of Defined Terms • Throughout this PPT/PDF all terms that are italicised, viz. • Licence • Persons Responsible • Designated Laboratories • Letter of Authority have specific meanings as listed in the next slides:

Licence • The DEFRA Plant Health Licence number PHL 181A/6566 (10/2011) issued to SEAES, University of Manchester, Williamson Building, Oxford Rd, M13 9PL. • It is valid from 1st October 2011 but subject to annual review. • This PHL is a renewal of licences PHL 181A/6464 (12/2010), 181A/6232 (12/2009), PHL 181A/5995 (12/2008), PHL 181/5763 (01/2008) and PHL 181/5435(10/2006) (amended 10 November 2006) and a replacement for PHL 181/4696(01/2004)

Persons Responible • Those persons specificed on the Licence to be responsible for the impoprted materials and “under whose direct supervision it shall be kept” • These persons, as of October 2010, include: • Professor Jon Lloyd (i/c Geomicrobiology Labs) • Dr David Polya (i/c Geochemistry Labs) • Dr J Blackford, Dr B Van Dongen, Ms W Al Lawati, Mr D Phai.

Designated Laboratories • These are the “containment facilities” specified in the Licence, viz. • Geomicrobiology Laboratories (B26, constant temperature room, B29, B30) • Inorganic Geochemistry Laboratories (1.18, inc. Balance Room, 1.22, 1.25A, 1.25B, 1.25C & 1.27 inc. class 1,000 Clean Room)

Letter of Authority • This is the letter of authority with accompanied the Licence issued by DEFRA and a copy of which must accompany all material imported under the Licence

Nature of Licence I • Pursuant to Part 8 of the Plant Health (England) Order 2005, the Licence authorises SEAES, University of Manchester to import, move and keep prohibited soil and sediment with accompanying water samples from all countries subject to specified limitations and conditions.

Nature of Licence II • Two key conditions of the DEFRA PHL are that: • All materials imported under the Licence are handled and contained in accordance with an appropriate Standard Operating Procedure • A record is kept of the importation, treatment, storage and disposal of all materials imported under the Licence

Standard Operating Procedures • SOP DEFRA/1 • Management of DEFRA PHL • SOP DEFRA/2 • Handling & containment of Materials Imported Under a DEFRA PHL

SOP DEFRA/1 • Concerns: Management of DEFRA PHL • For: • Persons responsible for Licence • Head of School • Chairman, SEAES Health & Safety Committee

SOP DEFRA/2 • Concerns: Handling & Containment of Materials Imported Under DEFRA PHL • For: • Anybody importing Licenced materials on anybody supervising such persons • Persons responsible for Licence • Head of School • Chairman, SEAES Health & Safety Committee

SOP DEFRA/2 • [1] CHECK if Licence is required. If “yes”, then: • [2] NOTIFY persons responsible • [3] Receive appropriate TRAINING • [4] CONTAIN materials in approved labs • [5] RECORD handling, storage & disposal • [6] STORE or DISPOSE properly

SOP DEFRA/2[1] CHECK • The following items from outside of the EU will normally require importation under the DEFRA Licence • Soils from < 1 m depth • Soils from > 1 m depth but heavily contaminated with shallow soils • Water samples from soils above • Surface waters if heavily contaminated (> 1000 ppm) with organic carbon • Seeds, fruits, vegetables, tubers, corms, bulbs, rhizomes, cut flowers, branches with foliage, cut trees retaining foliage, plant tissue in culture

SOP DEFRA/2[1] CHECK • The following items from outside of the EU will not normally require importation under the DEFRA Licence • Rock samples from any depth • Soil and sediment from > 1m depth AND not heavily contaminated with shallow-depth (< 1 m) derived organic matter or shallow (< 1 m) soil/sediment • Water samples if not heavily contaminated (> 1000 ppm) with shallow-depth (< 1 m) derived organic matter or shallow (< 1 m) soils/sediment • Washed vegetables, rice and other cereals normally intended for human consumption and not heavily contaminated with shallow-depth derived organic matter or shallow (< 1 m) soils/sediments

SOP DEFRA/2[1] CHECK • The following items from within EU will not normally require importation under the DEFRA Licence • Rock samples from any depth • Soil and sediment from any depth • Water samples from any depth • However, these lists are not comprehensive, e.g. soil movement from certain areas within the EU is prohibited – so CHECK if in in doubt.

SOP DEFRA/2[2] NOTIFY • If you are importing materials requiring a DEFRA Licence then you MUST: • NOTIFY the first two names on the list of Persons Responsible • i.e.. Prof J Lloyd and Prof D A Polya

SOP DEFRA/2[3] TRAINING • You must receive appropriate TRAINING before importing or handling any Licenced materials • You must sign confirmation of your receipt of training and your understanding of the Standard Operating Procedures required • You must ensure that any Licenced material is properly packaged during transit to the UK and accompanied by the LicenceLetter of Authority and, where appropriate, a phytosanitary or equivalent certificate

SOP DEFRA/2[4] CONTAINMENT • Licenced materials may only be unpackaged in one of the following designated laboratories : • Geomicrobiology Lab (B26, constant temperature room, B29, B30) • Geochemistry Lab (Rooms 1.18, 1.22, 1.25A, 1.25B, 1.25C, 1.27 inc. class 1,000 Clean Room, Williamson Building)

SOP DEFRA/2[4] RECORD • You must record the following summary information: • Samples type (inc. depth of sample, nature and extent of any shallow-depth derived organic matter or shallow (< 1 m) soils/sediment contamination, and any procedures taken to avoid such contamination • Site of collection (inc. country of origin) • Date of collection, number of samples • Sample weights • Treatments • Disposal method • Storage of non-disposed materials • Annually (by June 14th)you must update and copy your records to the first two names (Prof J Lloyd and Prof D A Polya) Persons Responsible for the Licence

SOP DEFRA/2[5] STORE or DISPOSE • All Licenced material must be ONE of: • Disposed of properly • Stored properly • Tested to destruction

SOP DEFRA/2[5] STORE or DISPOSE • Proper Disposal • INCINERATION or • AUTOCLAVED • The minimum temperature and pressure at the centre of the load to be 121 C and 15 psi respectively. The autoclave to be loaded in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Where available, a probe should be used to monitor temperature. Water samples may be evaporated to dryness or near dryness to reduce the volume of material required ot be autoclaved where required. • Following incineration or autoclaving the remaining material should be disposed of at an authorised landfill or similar disposal site

SOP DEFRA/2[5] STORE or DISPOSE • Storage • All Licenced materials must be: • stored in the Designated Laboratories • Clearly labelled as Licenced materials • Stored in such a way that accidental release of any material is of negligible likelyhood

SOP DEFRA/2[5] STORE or DISPOSE • Testing to destruction: • Testing to destruction is considered to be proper disposal if the testing can be reasonably demonstrated to ensure an equivalent level of destruction, sterilisation or inactivation of plant pathogens as incineration or autoclaving

SOP DEFRA/2[5] STORE or DISPOSE • All Licenced material must be ONE of: • Disposed of properly • Stored properly • Tested to destruction

FURTHER INFORMATION • This PPT/PDF is a just brief summary of the operational requirements of the SEAES DEFRA PHL • Before undertaking any activity involving Licenced materials, ensure that you read thoroughly: • DEFRA PHL • Including the Letter of Authority • DEFRA Explanatory Leaflet • DEFRA Importers Guide • SOP DEFRA/1 • Any further links required to • Establish requirement of otherwise for Licensing • Understand dangers & impacts of plant pests & disease that may be imported in the UK with your samples

Contents

Contents

Presentation Transcript

Contents

Contents

Contents

Contents

Contents

Contents

Contents

CONTENTS

Contents

Contents