The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued a bulletin on 22 October 2024, reminding businesses involved in the GB biocides market of critical dossier submission and active substance renewal deadlines. Companies must submit necessary documentation to maintain their substances in the GB Review Programme or face non-approval for key biocidal products.
The following active substance and product type combinations require dossier submissions to the HSE by the given deadlines to remain approved for use in Great Britain (GB):
5 January 2025: N-didecyl-N-dipolyethoxyammonium borate (product type 8)17 April 2025: Active chlorine generated from sodium chloride by electrolysis (product types 2, 3, 4, 5, and 11)
Failure to submit dossiers by these dates will result in a GB non-approval decision. This would restrict the use of these substances in biocidal products and prevent treated articles from being placed on the GB market.
To keep certain active substances approved under the GB Biocidal Products Regulation (GB BPR), renewal applications must be submitted 550 days before their expiry date. One notable upcoming renewal deadline is:
29 April 2025: Polyhexamethylene biguanide hydrochloride (PHMB) in product types 2 and 4.
If a renewal application is not submitted, these substances will no longer be usable in their respective product types.
Companies or consortia that originally notified these substances must submit dossiers, though other parties may be able to support renewals. Those impacted by the loss of these approvals should contact the notifier or supplier to explore potential collaboration opportunities.
With critical submission deadlines approaching, stakeholders in the GB biocides industry must act swiftly to avoid market disruptions. Missing these deadlines could significantly affect product availability and compliance with GB regulations.
Defra’s UK POPs Regulation 2026 consultation proposes adding five substances to the prohibition list, alongside new thresholds and exemptions. With implementation expected by December 2026, businesses must assess supply chain exposure, regulatory divergence and transition requirements.
The Silica Dust (Exposure) Bill proposes new UK measures to address occupational silica exposure, including screening and restrictions on high-risk practices. While still under review, it highlights growing regulatory focus on worker health and may prompt businesses to reassess dust control and compliance strategies.
The UK-EU SPS Agreement will align UK sanitary and phytosanitary rules with EU legislation, affecting food safety, pesticides, biocides and agricultural regulation.
Subscribe to Foresight Weekly for expert-picked regulatory developments across chemicals, sustainability, product safety, ESG, and HSE.
Free forever. Unsubscribe anytime.
Read by professionals at
