Biocides committee recommends approving three active substances

ECHA/NR/20/23

ECHA’s Biocidal Products Committee (BPC) also concluded that esbiothrin should not be approved for use in insecticides and acaricides as it poses an unacceptable risk to human health.

Helsinki, 23 June 2020 – The BPC recommends approving the following active substance product-type combinations:

• Carbon dioxide generated from propane, butane or a mixture of both by combustion for product-type 19 (repellents and attractants);
• Active chlorine generated from sodium chloride by electrolysis for product-types 1 (human hygiene), 2 (disinfectants and algaecides not intended for direct application to humans or animals), 3 (veterinary hygiene), 4 (food and feed area) and 5 (drinking water); and
• Active chlorine released from hypochlorous acid for product-types 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.

For esbiothrin, the committee’s opinion is that it cannot be approved for product-type 18 (insecticides, acaricides and products to control other arthropods) due to unacceptable risks to human health. Esbiothrin degrades in presence of light to genotoxic substances that can damage DNA.

In 2020, the BPC has adopted nine opinions on active substances in the Review Programme. This is much more than in 2019 and, hence, shows the results of joint efforts by the Member States and ECHA. However, the number of opinions is still far from the annual target to be able to finalise the Review Programme by the end of 2024.

The BPC also recommends approving three applications for Union authorisation:

• propan-2-ol for product-type 2;
• 1R-trans phenothrin for product-type 18; and
• hydrogen peroxide for product-types 1, 2, 3 and 4.

According to the committee, a biocidal product based on permethrin should not be authorised as it poses an unacceptable risk for the environment. The BPC has adopted eight opinions on Union authorisation applications in 2020.

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

Full details about the committee’s conclusions are available in the annex.

The opinions will be available on ECHA’s website in the near future.