Regulations on biocides still patchy
Fewer biocides for the sake of the environment
Every product containing biocides has to pass an environmental risk assessment.
Source: awfoto / Fotolia.com
Regulations on the use of biocides must become more specific and more binding. The risks of these substances, which are contained in products such as wood preservatives and insect repellents, were underestimated for a long time. The existing EU Biocides Directive has only concerned the placing of biocidal products on the market but not how they may be used. New regulations governing their use could be oriented towards the guidelines which are applicable to plant protection products. There are more than 30,000 biocidal products on the market in Germany. Their primary application is as pesticides used outside of agriculture. The UBA and the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety are organizing an international workshop on 31 March - 1 April 2014 in Berlin to discuss with representatives from the EU Commission, public authorities in the EU Member States, industry and NGOs from twelve European countries how to make the use of biocides more sustainable. Possible measures include imposing a limit on the sale of certain products or applications in sensitive natural environments, for example nature conservation areas and water protection areas.