EU approves two biocides

The European Commission has announced the approvals for biocides didecyldimethyl ammonium chloride and alkyl (C12-16) dimethylbenzyl ammonium chloride used as wood preservatives under the EU biocidal products Directive 98/8/EC. The approvals were part of the review of existing biocides. They will be formally included in Annex I to Directive 98/8/EC on February 1st 2015 and the approval will expire on January 31st 2025.

The Commission considered that the Union level risk assessment did not address all potential uses and exposure scenarios; certain uses and exposure scenarios, such as use by non-professionals and exposure of food or feed, were excluded. When assessing the application for authorisation of a product in accordance with Article 5 and Annex VI, Member States shall assess, where relevant for the particular product, those uses or exposure scenarios and those risks to human populations and to environmental compartments that have not been representatively addressed in the Union level risk assessment.

Member States are required to ensure that authorisations are subject to the following conditions:

(1) For industrial or professional users safe operational procedures shall be established, and products shall be used with appropriate personal protective equipment, unless it can be demonstrated in the application for product authorisation that risks can be reduced to an acceptable level by other means.
(2) Products shall not be used for treatment of wood with which children may enter in direct contact, unless it can be demonstrated in the application for product authorisation that risks can be reduced to an acceptable level.
(3) Labels and, where provided, safety data sheets of products authorised shall indicate that industrial or professional application shall be conducted within a contained area or on impermeable hard standing with bunding, and that freshly treated timber shall be stored after treatment on impermeable hard standing to prevent direct losses to soil or water, and that any losses from the application of the product shall be collected for reuse or disposal.
(4) Products shall not be authorised for treatment of wood that will be in contact with fresh water or used for outdoor constructions near or above water, continually exposed to the weather or subject to frequent wetting, unless data is submitted to demonstrate that the product will meet the requirements of Article 5 and Annex VI, if necessary by the application of appropriate mitigation measures.