Responding to Defra’s recent announcements on the new European pesticides legislation, Complete Weed Control is pleased to announce their certification as an Amenity Assured contractor, sealing their commitment to improve amenity weed control contract standards.

Some franchisees were already Amenity Assured, but the new agreement sees all 47 franchisees from across the UK gain accreditation, ensuring Complete Weed Control as the only genuine national contractor who has Amenity Assured Standard accreditation.

Amenity Assured is a quality assurance scheme developed by key UK organisations BASIS, NAAC, NPTC and CPA which have the responsibility to address the concerns of government, local authorities and many other amenity organisations with regard to amenity weed control.

The industry has recently seen several examples of unscrupulous contractors providing cheap illegal services which have sadly drawn the herbicide application industry, one of the most regulated in the world, into disrepute.

These contractors have been found using illegal operators and stores, spraying under an invalid insurance, using banned products, polluting water, causing environmental damage, and putting the safety of the general public at risk.

The Amenity Assured standard aims to rectify these falling quality levels by providing clients with a benchmark from which to choose their weed control contractor.

All Amenity Assured contractors adhere to a range of certification schemes that go beyond legal requirements as well as submitting to independent audits to ensure quality benchmarks are being met.

For the client, the quality control guarantees a superior level of service as only the best contractors meet the specification, promising a high level of service that remains within the law, keeping operators, bystanders and the environment safe at all times.

“Complete Weed Control is the only genuine national contractor who has Amenity Assured Standard accreditation,” said Ian Graham, Managing Director of Complete Weed Control.

“We represent the upper end of the spectrum in terms of quality. Companies like Complete Weed Control who work within the limits of strict legislation are being unfairly beaten on price by less principled organisations. Many of these companies operate with illegal practices which tarnish the entire industry. Our aim is to create pressure for local authorities to choose quality over price, working closely with BASIS to promote us, them and our industry and encourage clients to specify that any contractor used must be Amenity Assured, ensuring that standards are raised across the board.

By encouraging clients to specify that contractors must be Amenity Assured, we can raise the industry standard, to safeguard clients from liability and protect the environment."

Local Authorities are increasingly turning to Complete Weed Control to carry out spraying operations, to minimise capital investment in equipment and avoid the necessity to employ specialist, skilled operators. Complete Weed Controls franchisees are already a highly trained, highly regulated sector of the industry. They are serious about their businesses and serious about the need to protect the safety of the public and environment.

“BASIS is looking forward to working with Complete Weed Control, the leading Amenity Franchise Organisation, to continue to raise standards of Amenity Pesticide Application, through their involvement in the Amenity Assured Standard”, commented BASIS Managing Director Rob Simpson.