Biocidal products are chemical formulations or substances used to control pests found in environments where people are present, in living spaces, or in their surroundings; they eliminate or repel these pests, or attract them to gather at a specific target. These pests may include insects, rodents, cockroaches, mosquitoes, mites, and others that negatively affect public health. In addition, drinking water disinfectants and many surface disinfectants used in hospitals and various sectors, including the food industry, are also classified as biocidal products.
Typical examples: Disinfectants, preservatives, rodenticides, insecticides, pest control products, and repellents.
Biocidal products are primarily used in the home in accordance with their legal definitions.
Most biocidal products are used in agriculture for plant protection (pesticides), and their use in agricultural settings is governed by the Plant Protection Products Regulation.
The EU Biocidal Products Directive defines biocidal products as follows:
Substances and preparations, in the form in which they are supplied to the consumer, containing one or more substances, intended to destroy, inactivate, or otherwise control harmful organisms, or to prevent damage caused by such organisms, by chemical or biological means.