VCI's dossier on the benefits of biocidal products

Biocidal products are indispensable for high health and hygiene standards in our society. They are of major sociocultural, economic and ecological importance and greatly significant to health. Hence, they bring sustainable benefits. An overview elaborated by VCI, the German Chemical Industry Association, illustrates these benefits for the various groups of biocidal products.

Background

With Regulation (EU) No 528/2012 (BPR1, applies from 1 September 2013) biocidal products are regulated uniformly inside the European Union for the first time.

The BPR distinguishes between 22 different product-types (PTs) which are grouped in five main groups. All biocidal products have in common that they are intended to control or deter harmful organisms. As disinfectants or pest control agents they provide protection against dangerous diseases or their carriers. They are also used to protect perishable goods.

The safety of biocidal products

Prerequisites for marketing and use are the approval of the active substances and the subsequent authorisation of the products for the respective product types. This complex authorisation procedure makes sure that the products are safe while they do not pose any unacceptable risk to humans and environment. Numerous further pieces of legislation need to be observed in both manufacture and use of such products inside the European Union. These legal provisions protect humans and environment and ensure the safe handling of chemicals.

Biocidal products should be used carefully and for their intended purposes. Numerous further pieces of legislation need to be observed in both manufacture and use of such products inside the European Union. These legal provisions protect humans and environment and ensure the safe handling of chemicals.

Range of applications and benefits of biocidal products

Where they are used in a sustainable manner, biocidal products offer major economic, ecological and societal benefits. These benefits of the various groups of biocidal products are explained in more detail in VCI's dossier.

You will find VCI's 10-paged dossier on the benefits of biocidal products in the download section at the top of this page.