Biocides & Fungicides Update

For some time now, biocides and fungicides producers have been focused on the European Biocidal Products Directive (BPD). For them-and ultimately their customers-the calendar may read 2004, but 2010 feels like it's just around the corner.

The cost and man-hours associated with the BPD are equally daunting. Even if a company already has what is considered a complete data package, some industry estimates place the cost of registration in the area of a half-million dollars and two years of manpower (covering paper work, regulations and lab time) per active.

The bottom line, say some, will be fewer actives.

"It is already well documented that the number of biocides supported for the BPD represents roughly one-third of the total number available to paint and coatings companies 10 years ago," said Don Shaw, director of product registration at Troy Corp. "Additional labeling requirements to this group of biocides will further reduce the choices available to paint and coatings producers."

Currently, European regulatory bodies are busy working through the first wave of biocide active substance dossiers for roden