The ban, imposed by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, is on metaldehyde, a pesticide used to control slugs in a range of crops and in gardens.

The ban follows advice from the UK Expert Committee on Pesticides (ECP) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) that metaldehyde poses an “unacceptable risk to birds and mammals”.

Alternative methods to combat slug damage include sowing seed deeper in the soil, but alternative slug treatments and pellets are available that do not pose the same risks to wildlife.

Environment Secretary Michael Gove said: “I recognise that significant effort has been put into encouraging growers and gardeners to use this pesticide responsibly by the Metaldehyde Stewardship Group.

“However, the advice is clear that the risks to wildlife are simply too great – and we must all play our part in helping to protect the environment.

“I encourage companies and growers to look at the alternatives, such as ferric phosphate, which is authorised and does not carry similar risks.”

The date for the SKGAS ban will be set at the next committee meeting, but is likely to be some point after midsummer. This will allow members to use up any stock they already  have on site.

When the ban on our allotment sites comes into force, the blue metaldehyde slug pellets must neither be used nor stored on SKGAS sites.

We urge our members not to buy any more of these dangerous products. An alternative to blue slug pellets will be available from the trading hut. They will also be widely available from DIY stores and garden centres.

The largest of these companies have already started to remove metaldehyde products from their stores.