Dow Microbial Control Gains EU Market Approval for Marine Antifouling Agent DCOIT

Dow Microbial Control, a business unit of The Dow Chemical Company, has received European Union regulatory approval of its antifouling active substance DCOIT (4,5-Dichloro-2-octyl-2H-isothiazol-3-one), an innovative technology used in paints and coatings to prevent the settlement of unwanted organisms on the surface of structures immersed in water.

The European Commission has approved DCOIT for use in coating formulations that fall under the Biocidal Products Regulation (BPR) “Product Type 21,” which encompasses antifouling products. From an environmental point of view, this is one of the most challenging product types for which to gain approval, and DCOIT is only the second active substance to be given EU market clearance in this category.

Antifouling products are used to control the unwanted growth and settlement of fouling organisms — such as microbes and higher forms of plant or animal species — on marine vessels, aquaculture equipment or other structures used in water. Such biofouling reduces a ship’s operating efficiency, thereby wasting money and harming the environment through increased fuel consumption and emissions as well as the spreading of marine invasive species.

“We are pleased that Dow Microbial Control’s technology has been embraced by a regulatory body and in a product category that is respected for having some of the most stringent environmental standards in the world,” said Mark Henning, global business director for Dow Microbial Control. “This landmark EU approval confirms an excellent environmental profile for DCOIT as an antifouling agent for commercial fleets, superyachts, nets and other marine structures.”

DCOIT has been used safely around the world as an active substance in antifouling products under the trademark SEA-NINE™ since the early 1990s. SEA-NINE won the prestigious U.S. EPA Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award in the category of Designing Safer Chemical Products. This award recognizes and promotes fundamental breakthroughs in chemistry that prevent pollution and have broad applicability in the industry.

“SEA-NINE™is exemplary of Dow Microbial Control’s commitment to providing top-performing products while also leading customers to a more sustainable future,” said Rick Strittmatter, global research and development director for Dow Microbial Control. “Smart business practices and responsible environmental decisions are no longer an either-or proposition. Dow makes it possible to have both.”