Simplified active substances

To encourage the use of products with a more favourable environmental or human or animal health profile, the GB Biocidal Products Regulation (GB BPR) establishes a list of active substances that are eligible for simplified product authorisation in Great Britain (GB).

The GB Simplified Active Substance List is intended to include substances identified as presenting a "low risk" and currently includes substances in the following categories:

Applications can be made to HSE to include an active substance in category A or B of the GB Simplified Active Substance List. Products using simplified active substances may be eligible for the simplified authorisation procedure.

Active substances that may meet the criteria to be included on the GB Simplified Active Substance List (and that were not supported in the GB Review Programme) cannot be used in biocidal products / biocidal product families made available on the GB market until the active substance is formally included on the List and the biocidal product / biocidal product family is authorised.

Making available on the market means any supply of a biocidal product, whether in return for payment or free of charge, at all stages of the supply chain. Some examples of this could include:;

Enforcement action may be taken where a simplified biocidal active substance that is not yet included on the List is made available on the GB market in a biocidal product / biocidal product family.

Check the criteria

Before considering supporting a simplified active substance for inclusion on the List in GB, you should check if it meets the criteria. To be considered for inclusion on the GB Simplified Active Substance List, there must be evidence that the substance does not give rise to concern.

An active substance is considered to give rise to concern where:

How to Apply

The prospective applicant or company acting on their behalf must submit, in English, a completed application form to [email protected] – companies may wish to mark emails as appropriate eg confidential. Please note that your application form may be returned if it is incomplete.

Only the application form should be submitted by email. All other relevant documentation / data must be submitted via the HSE Secure File Sharing Service, including:

Using the HSE Secure File Sharing Service

Dossier guidance

Things to note

What HSE will do

Applications for category A

After receiving your application HSE will:

You may be asked to provide further information at various stages of the process. When such requests are made, the indicative timeframes given above will be suspended. Please note if the information you provide is not satisfactory, or you fail to provide the information within the specified deadline, your application may be rejected.

Applications for category B

After receiving your application HSE will:

You may be asked to provide further information at various stages of the process. When such requests are made, the indicative timeframes given above will be suspended. Please note if the information you provide is not satisfactory, or you fail to provide the information within the specified deadline, your application may be rejected.

Active substance inclusion / non-inclusion decision

When the evaluation of an application is completed, a decision will be made as to whether the active substance can be included on the GB Simplified Active Substance List. HSE will recommend that the active substance is not included on the List where:

it cannot be suitably demonstrated that the substance does not give rise to concern (ie it cannot be shown that the substance does not meet the criteria for concern given in Article 28 (2) of GB BPR)

Inclusion recommended

HSE will:

You should:

Inclusion not recommended

HSE will:

You should:

Rejecting applications

An application can be rejected at any stage if the relevant fees or requested information / data are not submitted or are unacceptable.

Updated 2022-09-01