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The 23 product types of the Biocidal Products Directive

Number Product Type Description
Main Group 1: Disinfectants and general biocidal products
1 Human hygiene biocidal products Used for human hygiene purposes.
2 Private and public health area disinfectants and other biocidal products Used for the disinfection of air, surfaces, materials, equipment and furniture which are not used for direct food or feed contact in private, public or industrial areas, including hospitals, as well as products used as algaecides. Usage areas include swimming pools, aquariums, bathing and other waters, air-conditioning units, walls and floors in health and other institutions, chemical toilets, waste water, hospital waste, soil and other substrates (in playgrounds).
3 Veterinary hygiene biocidal products Includes products used in areas in which animals are housed, kept or transported.
4 Food and feed area disinfectants Used for the disinfection of equipment, containers, consumption utensils, surfaces or pipework associated with the production, transport, storage, or consumption of food, feed or drink (including drinking water) for humans and animals.
5 Drinking water disinfectants For both humans and animals.
Main Group 2 Preservatives
6 In-can preservatives Used for the preservation of manufactured products, other than foodstuffs or feeding stuffs, in containers by the control of microbial deterioration to ensure their shelf life.
7 Film preservatives Used for the preservation of films or coatings by the control of microbial deterioration in order to protect the initial properties of the surface of materials or objects such as paints, plastics, sealants, wall adhesives, binders, papers, art works etc.
8 Wood preservatives For wood from and including saw-mill stage, and wood products (including preventative and curative products).
9 Fibre, leather, rubber and polymerised materials preservatives Includes the preservation of fibrous materials, such as paper or textile products.
10 Masonry preservatives Used for the preservation and remedial treatment of masonry or other construction materials other than wood by the control of microbiological algal attack.
11 Preservatives for liquid-cooling and processing systems Use for the preservation of water and other liquids used in cooling and processing systems by the control of harmful organisms such as microbes, algae and mussels (not drinking water preservation products).
12 Slimicides Used for the prevention or control of slime growth on materials, equipment and structures, used in industrial processes, eg on wood and paper pulp, and porous sand strata in oil extraction.
13 Metalworking-fluids preservatives Products used for the preservation of metalworking fluids by the control of microbial deterioration.
Main Group 3: Pest control
14 Rodenticides Control of mice, rats or other rodents.
15 Avicides Control of birds.
16 Molluscicides Control of molluscs, eg snails that may clog pipes.
17 Piscicides Control of fish; excludes products for the treatment of fish diseases.
18 Insecticides, acaricides and to control other arthropods For example insects, arachnids and crustaceans
19 Repellents or attractants Used to control, harmful organisms (invertebrates such as fleas, vertebrates such as birds), by repelling or attracting, including those that are used for human or veterinary hygiene either directly or indirectly.
Main Group 4: Other biocidal products
20 Preservatives for food and feedstocks Used for the preservation of food or feedstuffs by the control of harmful organisms.
21 Antifouling products Used to control growth and settlement of fouling organisms (microbes and higher forms of plant and animal species) on vessels, aquaculture equipment or other structures used in water.
22 Embalming or taxidermist fluids Used for the disinfection and preservation of human or animal corpses, or parts of them.
23 Control of vertebrates Used to control vermin

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Updated 2012-04-19