Inspection of biocidal products: ensuring user safety, protecting the environment and guaranteeing the products' efficacy.
Various sectors use biocidal products to combat so-called harmful organisms (bacteria, moulds, insects, etc.), for instance the medical, agricultural and industrial sectors.
The Federal Environmental Inspectorate operates in all those sectors to ensure (1) that only products authorised by the FPS Public Health are being used and (2) that the conditions of use specified in the authorisation decisions and in the summary of product characteristics are respected.
Among other things, the Inspectorate monitors the placing on the market, the sale, labelling and use of biocidal products, as well as compliance with the obligations relating to the closed circuit. To achieve this, inspectors actively detect infringements by mapping the supply chain and by following up on complaints and notifications they receive from the FASFC and customs. Checks are also carried out before, during and after fumigation to verify that safety measures are observed.
Each year, they conduct nine hundred inspections related to biocide legislation, mainly at retailers. In 40% of those checks they found at least one fact of non-compliance in 2023.
The Federal Environmental Inspectorate is therefore a key player in meeting the challenges of public health and environmental protection, as well as in reducing unfair competition between companies.
For more information, please contact info.biocides@health.fgov.be or visit the biocides helpdesk at https://biociden.freshdesk.com/en/support/home.