EU
Biocidal Products Regulation (BPR):
The EU defines biocides as products supplied to consumers for the purpose of controlling chemically or biologically harmful organisms, which are in the form of an active substance or mixture composed of one or more active substances. All biocides must obtain permits before its products are released to the market, and all active substances contained in products must be approved substances. Biocide treated products must inscribe facts such as whether they contain biocides or not, biocidal properties, active substances, names of contained nanomaterials, etc. on their exteriors in accordance with the EU CLP regulations. The target range is composed of 4 categories and 22 types of biocidal products and active substances, detailed below:
| Product Category | Type of Product |
|---|---|
| Disinfectants | 1. Disinfectants for human hygiene 2. Disinfectants not directly applied on humans or animals, algicides 3. Disinfectants for animal hygiene 4. Disinfectants for foods and animal feed 5. Disinfectants for drinking water |
| Preservatives | 6. In-can preservatives 7. Film preservatives 8. Wood preservatives 9. Preservatives for fibers, leather, rubber, polymeric substances 10. Construction material preservatives 11. Preservatives for liquid cooling systems and liquid handling systems 12. Slimicides 13. Cutting fluid preservatives |
| Rodenticides | 14. Rodenticides 15. Avicides 16. Molluscicides, and other control products for arthropods 17. Piscicides 18. Insecticides, acaricides, and other control products for arthropods 19. Repellents, attracting agents 20. Miscellaneous control products for vertebrates |
| Miscellaneous biocides | 21. Antifoulants 22. Embalming/taxidermy preservatives |
United States
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA):
In order to distribute biocides in the US, biocidal substances and products must be registered in accordance with FIFRA, and their effects and safety must be guaranteed through rigorous scientific processes. Moreover, said biocides must not be used outside of their restricted uses, must provide important information on safety and use to obtain the EPA label of approval for protecting the consumers, and must not use advertising phrases that are false, exaggerated or liable to misinterpretation such as ‘eco-friendly’, ‘non-toxic’, ‘all-natural’, etc. on their product labels. The application for biocide registration should include data on the biocide’s chemical properties, environmental fate, toxicity, efficacy, etc., as well as information about the applicant.
· Review of substances/products subject to regulation
· Confirmation whether biocide is subject to exemption
· Registration on FIFRA
· Performing purchase procedures for test data
