BIOCIDAL PRODUCTS

(Directive 98/8/EC),

Am I affected by biocidal products?

Definition (Art. II Directive 98/8/EC) Active substances and preparations containing one or more active substances, put up in the form in which they are supplied to the user, intended to destroy, deter, render harmless, prevent the action of, or otherwise exert a controlling effect on any harmful organism by chemical or biological means.

An exhaustive  list of twenty-three product and fur main groups, with an indicative set of descriptions for each type (Annex V Directive 98/8/EC).

MAIN GROUP 1: Disinfectants and general biocidal products

These product types exclude cleaning products that are not intended to have a biocidal effect, including washing liquids, powders and similar products.

Product-type 1: Human hygiene biocidal products

Products in this group are biocidal products used for human hygiene purposes.

Product-type 2: Private area and public health area disinfectants and other biocidal products

Products used for the disinfection of air, surfaces, materials, equipment and furniture which are not used for direct food or feed contact in private, public and industrial areas, including hospitals, as well as products used as algaecides.

Usage areas include, inter alia, swimming pools, aquariums, bathing and other waters; air-conditioning systems; walls and floors in health and other institutions; chemical toilets, waste water, hospital waste, soil or other substrates (in playgrounds).

Product-type 3: Veterinary hygiene biocidal products

Products in this group are biocidal products used for veterinary hygiene purposes including products used in areas in which animals are housed, kept or transported.

Product-type 4: Food and feed area disinfectants

Products used for the disinfection of equipment, containers, consumption utensils, surfaces or pipework associated with the production, transport, storage or consumption of food, feed or drink (including drinking water) for humans and animals.

Product-type 5: Drinking water disinfectants

Products used for the disinfection of drinking water (for both humans and animals).

 

MAIN GROUP 2: Preservatives

Product-type 6: In-can preservatives

Products used for the preservation of manufactured products, other than foodstuffs or feedingstuffs, in containers by the control of microbial deterioration to ensure their shelf life.

Product-type 7: Film preservatives

Products used for the preservation of films or coatings by the control of microbial deterioration in order to protect the initial properties of the surface of materials or objects such as paints, plastics, sealants, walladhesives, binders, papers, art works.

Product-type 8: Wood preservatives

Products used for the preservation of wood, from and including the saw-mill stage, or wood products by the control of wood-destroying or wood-disfiguring organisms.

This product type includes both preventive and curative products.

Product-type 9: Fibre, leather, rubber and polymerised materials preservatives

Products used for the preservation of fibrous or polymerised materials, such as leather, rubber or paper or textile products and rubber by the control of microbiological deterioration.

 

Product-type 10: Masonry preservatives

Products used for preservation and remedial treatment of masonry or other construction materials other than wood by the control of microbiological and algal attack.

 

Product-type 11: Preservatives for liquid-cooling and processing systems

Products used for the preservation of water or other liquids used in cooling and processing systems by the control of harmful organisms such as microbes, algae and mussels.

Products used for the preservation of drinking water are not included in this product type.

Product-type 12: Slimicides

Products used for the prevention or control of slime growth on materials, equipment and structures, used in industrial processes, e.g. on wood and paper pulp, porous sand strata in oil extraction.

Product-type 13: Metalworking-fluid preservatives

Products used for the preservation of metalworking fluids by the control of microbial deterioration.

 

MAIN GROUP 3: Pest control

Product-type 14: Rodenticides

Products used for the control of mice, rats or other rodents.

 

Product-type 15: Avicides

Products used for the control of birds.

Product-type 16: Molluscicides

Products used for the control of molluscs.

Product-type 17: Piscicides

Products used for the control of fish; these products exclude products for the treatment of fish diseases.

Product-type 18: Insecticides, acaricides and products to control other arthropods

Products used for the control of arthropods (e.g. insects, arachnids and crustaceans).

Product-type 19: Repellents and attractants

Products used to control harmful organisms (invertebrates such as fleas, vertebrates such as birds), by repelling or attracting, including those that are used for human or veterinary hygiene either directly or indirectly.

 

MAIN GROUP 4: Other biocidal products

Product-type 20: Preservatives for food or feedstocks

Products used for the preservation of food or feedstocks by the control of harmful organisms.

 

Product-type 21: Antifouling products

Products used to control the growth and settlement of fouling organisms (microbes and higher forms of plant or animal species) on vessels, aquaculture equipment or other structures used in water.

Product-type 22: Embalming and taxidermist fluids

Products used for the disinfection and preservation of human or animal corpses, or parts thereof.

Product-type 23: Control of other vertebrates

Products used for the control of vermin.

 

This Directive shall apply to :

The restrictions on the marketing of dangerous substances and preparations (Directive 76/769/EEC of 27 July 1976)

The use of plant protection products containing certain active substances (Directive 79/117/EEC of 21 December 1978)

The export and import of certain dangerous chemicals (Regulation EEC No 2455/92 of 23 July 1992)

The protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to chemical, physical and biological agents at work (Directives 80/1107/EEC of 27 November 1980 and 89/391/EEC of 12 June 1989)

The misleading advertising (Directive 84/450/EEC of 10 September 1984).

This Directive shall exclude :

• medicinal products,

• veterinary medicinal products,

• immunological veterinary medicinal products,

• homeopathic medicinal products,

• homeopathic veterinary medicinal products,

• active implantable medical devices,

• additives in feedingstuffs,

• materials and articles intended to come into contact with foodstuffs ,

• the health rules concerning the placing on the market of milk and eggs

• the health conditions for the placing on the market of fishery products,

• medicated feedingstuffs,

• additives in straight feedingstuffs,

• cosmetic products,

• plant protection products

 

Labelling

Specific references to biocidal products must appear on the label and packaging in addition to provisions relating to the classification, packaging and labeling of dangerous substances and preparations (in accordance with EC Regulation 1272/2008 (32-33 ° article CLP and Regulation 1907-2006 (REACH).

Find all of these regulations in our folder "Dangerous preparations including REACH"  and the list of "dangerous substances" on the website www.europeconomic.eu )

Regulation of biocidal products in our folder "Biocidal Products".