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HSE Biocides ebulletin

Issued: 25 January 2024

This ebulletin contains information on regulating biocides in Northern Ireland (NI). 

The EU Biocidal Products Regulation (EU BPR) operates independently from the GB Biocidal Products Regulation (GB BPR), which applies in Great Britain.

Separate ebulletins containing information specific to regulating biocides in Great Britain are issued as appropriate.

Upcoming EU active substance open invitation deadlines

Submit a notification by the deadline to keep active substances in the EU Review Programme

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has published open invitations to provide an opportunity for a person, company or task force/consortium to notify an intention to take up or take over the role of participant in the EU Review Programme for the following active substance/product type combinations. This affects NI.

Anyone wishing to support one of the active substance/product type combinations listed below in the EU will need to submit a notification to ECHA by the following deadlines:

• Reaction products of 5,5-dimethylhydantoin, 5-ethyl-5-methylhydantoin with chlorine (DCEMH) (CAS n/a EC n/a) in product type 11
  14 November 2024
  
  
• Reaction products of 5,5-dimethylhydantoin, 5-ethyl-5-methylhydantoin with bromine and chlorine (DCDMH) (CAS n/a EC n/a) in product type 11
  14 November 2024
  
  
• Pyrithione zinc (Zinc pyrithione) (CAS 13463-41-7 EC 236-671-3) in product types 2 and 10
  21 December 2024

If a notification to take over the role of participant is not received, these active substance/product type combinations will be subject to an EU non-approval decision. Biocidal products and treated articles containing active substances with EU non-approval decisions for the relevant product types will have to be removed from the NI market. HSE will provide separate updates on these where relevant.

If you are aware of any disproportionate negative impacts that are likely to arise from the non-approval of any of the active substance/product type combinations listed above, please contact us.

Upcoming EU active substance expiry dates

Biocidal products must be phased off the NI market

The active substance/product type combinations listed below are due to expire under the EU BPR on the following dates. This affects NI:

• Margosa extract from the kernels of Azadirachata Indica extracted with water and further processed with organic solvents (CAS 84696-25-3 EC 283-644-7) in product type 18
  30 April 2024
  
  
• Undecan-2-one (methyl nonyl ketone) (CAS 112-12-9 EC 203-937-5) in product type 19
  30 April 2024
  
  
• Methyl-benzimidazol-2-ylcarbamate (Carbendazim) (CAS 10605-21-7 EC 234-232-0) in product types 7 and 10
  31 January 2025
  
  
• Powdered corn cob (CAS n/a EC n/a) in product type 14
  31 January 2025
  
  
• Thiamethoxam (CAS 153719-23-4 EC 428-650-4) in product type 18
  31 January 2025
  
  
• 4-bromo-2-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-ethoxymethyl-5-trifluoromethylpyrrole-3-carbonitrile (Chlorfenapyr) (CAS 122453-73-0 EC n/a) in product type 8
  30 April 2025

Once the approval expires, the active substances can no longer be used in biocidal products or treated articles of the relevant product types in NI.

If you hold an affected EU BPR product authorisation or Control of Pesticides Regulations (COPR) product approval, we will contact you about cancelling or revoking your authorisation or approval. You will have an opportunity to submit comments or additional information and we will take account of these when finalising our decision.

If you are aware of any disproportionate negative impacts that are likely to arise from the expiry of any of the active substance/product type combinations listed above, please contact us.