The State Sanitary Inspectorate has completed three nationwide inspections of biocidal products - those intended for professional users, those used in veterinary hygiene, and those used for the preservation of wood and building materials. The results show that a significant part of the products available on the market still do not meet current requirements, which can pose a threat to human, animal and environmental health.

The State Sanitary Inspectorate has carried out a nationwide campaign to inspect biocidal products in three key market segments in recent months. The products were assessed for compliance with current regulations - including possession of valid permits, proper labeling, compliance of packaging and documentation, as well as how they are made available to users.

Products intended for professional users only

The largest scope of activities concerned products used in disinfection, disinfestation and deratization, which, due to their properties, can only be used by trained and qualified individuals.

As part of the campaign, 1410 inspections were carried out, covering manufacturers, importers and distributors conducting stationary and online sales.
2531 products were inspected, of which 468 (18.5%) did not meet legal requirements. Most irregularities were recorded among distributors conducting stationary sales, with 415 products containing deficiencies.

There were 139 administrative decisions, 94 ad hoc recommendations, and 69 investigations were initiated. The most common violations were:

improper labeling or packaging - 66 cases,
missing or invalid permits - 20 cases,
exceeded expiration dates - 26 cases,
Other deficiencies, including lack of PCN notifications and incorrect safety data sheets - 347 cases.

GIS stresses that a key problem has been the lack of verification that the buyer is indeed a professional user, which can pose real health risks.

Inspections of products used in veterinary hygiene

The second area was the inspection of products used in veterinary clinics, animal farms and farms.
There were 863 inspections, covering stationary and online sales. 876 products were inspected, of which 78 (8.9%) did not meet the requirements.

The largest number of noncompliances were found in online sales. Fourteen administrative decisions, 34 ad hoc recommendations were issued, and further investigations were initiated in 17 cases.

The violations were primarily related to:

Improper labeling or packaging - 32 cases,
missing or invalid permits - 10 cases,
Other deficiencies, including missing documentation - 36 cases.

GIS stresses that proper labeling and compliance of veterinary biocides is crucial for both human and animal safety.

Products for the preservation of wood and building materials

The third nationwide campaign covered products used in the preservation of wood and building materials - commonly used in construction, including in residential buildings and public facilities.

There were 1423 inspections, covering stationary and online sales.
2463 products were inspected, of which 286 (11.6%) did not meet the requirements.

The largest number of violations was recorded among manufacturers and importers with stationary sales - as many as 34.6% of inspected products were non-compliant.

68 administrative decisions were issued, 28 ad hoc recommendations, and 102 cases were referred for further investigation. Irregularities included:

improper labeling or packaging - 83 cases,
missing or invalid permits - 58 cases,
exceeded expiration dates - 79 cases,
Non-compliance in terms of safety data sheets - single cases.

GIS appeal: vigilance and compliance are key

In each area, the Inspectorate reminds that only products with a valid permit and used in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations are safe for users and the environment. The inspection activities, which are carried out periodically, are intended to reduce the risk, but the awareness of sellers and buyers is equally important.

GIS urges people to pay attention to labeling, permit validity and documentation compliance when purchasing biocidal products - especially in online sales, where the rate of irregularities remains the highest.

Source: GIS