Other laws and regulations in GB

Until a biocidal active substance is approved under the GB Biocidal Products Regulation (GB BPR) some biocidal products in Great Britain (GB) require approval by HSE under the Control of Pesticides Regulations (COPR). Other biocidal products may need to comply with other law or schemes that apply in GB.

Similarly, until a biocidal active substance is approved under the EU Biocidal Products Regulation (EU BPR) some biocidal products in Northern Ireland (NI) require approval by HSE under the Control of Pesticides Regulations (COPR). Other biocidal products may need to comply with other law or schemes that apply in Northern Ireland

HSE approval needed

Products to control:

  • rats and mice
  • insects and arthropods, which are either a public health concern (such as cockroaches) or a nuisance (such as ants)
  • algae and blanket weed in ponds and lakes, including home garden / ornamental ponds / lakes (not to protect plants)
  • nuisance / pest birds such as feral pigeons and starlings
  • slugs and snails (not to protect plants)

Products to prevent / remove:

  • the growth of algae, seaweed, mussels and barnacles on the hulls of boats, ships, oilrigs, fishnets, fish farming equipment and other manmade structures
  • undesirable growth such as lichen, mould or mildew on external and internal surfaces
  • the growth of fungi, mould and algae on internal surfaces such as ceilings and walls

Products to protect wood from:

  • natural predators such as beetles
  • wet and dry rot
  • surface staining or fungi

Products to repel:

  • insects such as mosquitoes, gnats, wasps, midges, fleas and spiders - including products applied directly to animals
  • vertebrates such as cats and dogs from fouling in and around domestic gardens

These products usually require COPR approval from HSE before they can be advertised, sold, supplied, stored or used in GB. These types of product will continue to be regulated and approved through HSE under COPR until a decision is made on whether to approve the active substance under GB BPR. If the active substance is approved the product will then require authorisation under GB BPR.

HSE approval not needed

Products that disinfect:

  • human or animal skin
  • surfaces (walls, floors, equipment, furniture) in private, public and industrial areas and in other areas for professional activities
  • air (including air conditioning systems)
  • water (including drinking water, bathing water, swimming pools, waste water, aquariums )
  • impregnated materials that may come into contact with food.

Products that preserve:

  • goods in storage to ensure their shelf life
  • rodenticides, insecticides or other baits
  • films or coatings of paints, plastics, sealants, wall adhesives, binders, papers, art works
  • fibrous or polymerised materials such as leather, rubber or paper
  • water and other liquids used in cooling and processing systems

fluids used for working or cutting metal, glass or other materials

Products that control / prevent:

algae in swimming pools

Products that preserve / control:

slime growth on materials, equipment and structures used in industrial processes, such as on wood and paper pulp, and porous sand strata in oil extraction

Products that attract:

  • insects and arthropods (flies, moths, ants) to physical traps
  • birds to physical traps
  • rats and mice to physical traps

do not require COPR approval from HSE before they can be advertised, sold, supplied, stored or used in GB.

Note: These products will require HSE authorisation under GB BPR once the biocidal active substance is approved under GB BPR.

Other schemes in GB

If your product is a disinfectant it may need to comply with one or more of the following schemes that apply in Great Britain:

These are schemes HSE is aware of and this list is not exhaustive. HSE does not operate these schemes and cannot offer any advice on their requirements.

Note: These products will require HSE authorisation under GB BPR once the biocidal active substance is approved under GB BPR. These products may also need to continue to comply with the requirements of the relevant scheme after the product has a GB BPR authorisation.

General rules to comply with

Biocidal products may be covered by general chemical and product safety law which continues to operate in Great Britain such as:

Specific elements of GB BPR also apply to all biocidal products before (and after) the product is authorised under GB BPR, namely:

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Updated 2021-07-19