Highlights from December BPC meeting

The Biocidal Products Committee adopted 16 opinions: 10 on the approval of active substances, two on Union authorisation and four addressing requests from the European Commission.

Helsinki, 8 December 2021 – The committee adopted the following positive opinions for:

Active substance approvals:

• Ozone generated from oxygen for use in disinfectants and algaecides not intended for use directly on people or animals (product-type 2), in disinfectants for food and feed area (product-type 4) and for drinking water (product-type 5), and in preservatives for liquid-cooling and processing systems (product-type 11);
• Alkyl (C12-16) dimethylbenzylammonium chloride for use in disinfectants for personal hygiene (product-type 1) and product-type 2;
• Chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium, an extract from flowers of Tanacetum cinerariifolium, obtained with supercritical carbon dioxide and with hydrocarbon solvents for repellents and attractants (product-type 19); and
• Didecyldimethylammonium chloride (DDAC) for product-types 1 and 2.

Union authorisations:

• L(+) Lactic acid for product-types 1, 2, 3 (veterinary hygiene) and 4, and
• Hydrogen peroxide for product-type 2.

The European Commission together with the EU Member States will take the final decision on approval of active substances and on Union authorisation of biocidal product families.

In addition, the committee adopted opinions addressing requests by the European Commission on:

• Evaluation of the risks for human health and the environment from endocrine disrupting propterties of 2,2-dibromo-2-cyanoacetamide (DBNPA) used in disinfectants for food and feed area (product-type 4). The committee concluded that the level of risk can be considered acceptable.
• Evaluation of the risks for human health and the environment from endocrine disrupting properties of cyanamide used in disinfectants for veterinary hygiene (product-type 3) and in products to treat against insects, arachnids and other anthropods (product-type 18). The committee could not conclude on the risks based on the available data.
• Eligibility of the active substance peanut butter to be included in Annex I to the BPR, which lists active substances identified as having a low risk and being eligible for a simplified authorisation process. The committee recommends that peanut butter will not be included in Annex I as it can be considered immunotoxic (can cause allergic reactions).
• Questions relating to a guidance on rodent traps developed by the German Environment Agency. The committee concluded that the same principles for the evaluation of efficacy are used in this guidance compared to chemical-based rodenticides.

The European Commission takes the final decisions based on BPC’s technical and scientific advice.

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The committee met from 29 November to 3 December 2021. The opinions will be available on the BPC's web page in the near future. The next meeting will take place in March 2022.

Listen to the highlights of the BPC’s last meeting for this year on the podcast in which committee Chair Erik van de Plassche shares his reflections on the meeting. More details about the committee’s conclusions are also available in the annex.