Health and Safety
Executive / Commission
Biocides &
pesticides
Biocides and pesticides are used by workers in a wide variety of industries to control harmful or unwanted organisms, such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, insects and animals. Biocides and pesticides can also be used by members of the public and we are all likely to come into contact with biocides and pesticides, or products that have been treated with them, either in our workplaces, in shops or leisure premises or in our own homes and gardens.
As biocides and pesticides are intended to control harmful or unwanted organisms, it is important that there are safeguards to ensure that these products can be used without causing harm to people, the environment or wildlife. HSE runs two regulatory schemes that assess such products, the Biocidal Products Regulations and the Control of Pesticides Regulations.
The Biocidal Products Regulations (BPR) implement a European-wide scheme (the Biocidal Products Directive 98/8/EEC) that covers a very diverse group of products, including disinfectants, pest control products and preservatives, whilst the Control of Pesticides Regulations (COPR) is an older, UK national scheme which covers various pest control products. Products controlled under COPR are gradually moving over to regulation under the Biocidal Products Regulations, and the COPR will eventually become redundant.
There are also various other regulations administered by other parts of government, such as those on plant protection products, medicines/veterinary medicines and cosmetics, that may influence whether or not a product would be affected by the BPR/COPR. Further guidance to help you navigate these regulations and decide which is relevant for you is available on our Does the legislation apply to you? page.
If you want to put a biocidal or pesticidal product onto the UK market, or to supply a chemical to be used as the active substance in such a product, then you need to know what actions you will be required to carry out before you market the product. Or you may be visiting this website to find out what products are currently approved, or what to do if you think you have suffered ill-health after using a product. A good starting point for these issues would be to visit our Frequently asked questions page where answers to some of the questions industry and the public often have about the regulatory system are provided, along with links to more detailed information. Alternatively, if you are simply looking for the latest developments, visit our live issues page.