Authorisation and environmental risk assessment of biocidal antifouling products

Abstract

Antifouling products need to be authorised in the EU according to the Biocidal Product Regulation (BPR) before they are allowed to be placed on the market. An essential component here is the environmental risk assessment (ERA). In the ERA it is checked whether the use of an antifouling product causes acceptable risks to the environment. This document answers some frequently asked questions about the requirements the ERA for antifouling products has to meet in the context of an application for product authorisation in Germany.