POOL & SPA INDUSTRY
Biocides – Is Your Pool Treatment Legal?
SAFE SWIMMING POOL OPERATION REQUIRES THE USE OF CHEMICALS AND DISINFECTANTS ON A DAILY BASIS BUT HOW MUCH DO OPERATORS AND SUPPLIERS KNOW ABOUT THE LAW REGARDING THESE CHEMICALS?
T
he area of biocide supply and use is one of the most complex and tightly regulated in the entire European Union, but many in the leisure industry are unaware of the law and its impact on their business. We get the views of both industry and regulators and discuss what exactly the swimming pool industry should know about biocides.
THE REGULATIONS IN THE EU AND UK Tim Harris (Health & Safety Executive)
In simple terms a ‘biocide’ is a chemical which, by chemical or biological means, kills, repels or renders harmless any unwanted
organism. Many things are biocides – common examples are disinfectants, wood preservatives and insect repellents. Biocides are used to control organisms such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, insects or animals in a wide variety of industries – including of course swimming pools. Some can also be used by members of the public. Very strict laws apply to the supply and use of biocides because by their nature they can be very hazardous and are often designed to kill. These important legal safeguards are there to ensure that biocides can be used without causing significant harm to people, the environment, or non-target animals. The EU Biocidal Products Regulation (EU 528/2012, known as the BPR) sets the standards for safety assessment and authorisation of biocidal products. The BPR – and the history of laws which went before it – is based on a simple
concept, but there is a lot of complex detail to understand. Don’t be put off – you don’t need to understand all of it and there is lots of advice available to help you through. Biocides laws work in two stages – ‘approval’ and ‘authorisation’. First ‘active substances’ are assessed to understand how effective they are and whether potential risks to human health, non-target animals, or the environment can be adequately controlled. If they pass they are ‘approved’ for use in biocidal products in the EU.
Second, approved active substances can then be incorporated into biocidal products which companies must then apply for ‘authorisation’ to supply. Products are also assessed for their effectiveness and potential
“ALTHOUGH EU LEGISLATION ON BIOCIDES HAS EXISTED FOR MORE THAN 15 YEARS, THE EVALUATION PROGRAMME HAS ONLY FOCUSED ON ACTIVES IN PT2 PRODUCTS RELATIVELY RECENTLY, AND SO FOR SOME THE IMPACT ON POOL TREATMENT CHEMICALS MAY ONLY BE STARTING TO BECOME APPARENT”
32 August 2014 SPN
risks and – if they pass – they are ‘authorised’ for supply and use.
As the term ‘biocide’ covers a very broad range of uses, the BPR identifies 22 ‘Product Types’ (PTs) so that the law can focus specifically on issues relevant for different sectors. The biocidal products used in the swimming pool sector are mostly ‘PT2: private and public health area disinfectants’. Typical examples are chlorine (used to control bacteria) and copper sulphate (to control algae). Fungicides and viricides used in the treatment of swimming pool water are also PT2 biocidal products.
In 2000, industry submitted details of ‘identified’ active substances used in biocidal products which were already being supplied, and then ‘notified’ authorities of which substances they wished to support through the EU review.
The two lists of ‘identifed’ and ‘notified’ active substances were published in 2003 – at which point any active substances not on either list should have been removed from the biocides market. Active substances only on the ‘identifed’ list, which were not being supported through review, had to be removed from the market by 1 September 2006.
www.swimmingpoolnews.co.uk
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