Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Statement on Biocides

Further to its statement on 23rd October, 2020, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has reminded people that only products listed on the Department’s Biocidal Product Register may be placed on the market in Ireland. These products should have a clearly visible PCS or IE-BPA or EU number on the label. More than 450 hand sanitizing products are listed on the register of approved products. The Department has been liaising with other Departments, including the HSE and the Department of Education, to ensure that only sanitiser products included on the register are being used across the public service.

Suppliers of biocidal products are legally required to ensure that their products are safe and effective. It has now become clear that there are some products on the market that are not properly registered. Where issues in relation to registration arise, the Department is taking appropriate action, on a precautionary basis. Subject to adherence to the usual safety guidelines in relation to products of this nature, and with the exception of products in the Virapro range, which have already been the subject of a recall, there is no reason to believe that the failure to register a product gives rise of itself to specific concerns in relation to safety or efficacy.

For this reason the department is not requiring members of the public to dispose of product already in their possession. People are, however advised to ensure that future purchases bear one of the numbers referred to above. The department is continuing to increase its testing of product on the market to provide reassurance in relation to compliance with approved product specifications. Suppliers of products that are not correctly registered are being required to withdraw product from sale until registration is regularised and the product is relabelled.

Members of the Public seeking further information may e mail the department at HandSanitisers@agriculture.gov.ie

For more information on registered hand sanitisers see the Pesticide Registration and Control Divisions website.

ENDS