In October 2024, the European Commission approved silver zinc zeolite (SZZ, CAS number: 130328-20-0) for use in biocides including disinfectants and preservatives for fibers, leather, rubber, and polymers. Compliance with specific regulations is mandatory. A transition period has been established to support industry adaptation

The simplified K-BPR amendment approval process officially took effect on September 11, 2024.

In February 2024, UK‘s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) announced that the expiry date of all biocide active substances expiring between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2026 would be extended to 31 January 2027. This amendment impacts up to 110 active substances, with the expiration dates of 46 active substances having been formally prolonged.

On January 16, 2024, trihydrogen pentapotassium di(peroxomonosulfate) di(sulfate) (CAS: 70693-62-8) was approved for use in biocidal products of product-types 2, 3, 4, and 5, in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 528/2012 of the European Parliament and the Council. Earlier on 15 January, Alkyl (C12-16) dimethylbenzyl ammonium chloride (CAS: 68424-85-1) was approved as an existing active substance for use as product-type 2, subject to the specifications in Table 2.

At the end of June 2023, the South Korean National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER) published three documents to provide biocidal product approval guidance for related enterprises, namel: Guidance for Environmental Data Submission; Guidance on Product Name and Label; and Guidance for Submission of Product Efficacy/Efficacy Test Data.

On April 29, 2022, the South Korean Ministry of Environment issued the Specifications on Consumer Chemical Products Labelling and Advertising Language (Draft) to collect public comments by June 7, 2022. This Draft was drawn up under the provision of Paragraph 1, Article 34 of the Consumer Chemical Products and Biocides Safety Act (also known as the K-BPR), aiming at regulating consumer chemical packaging and advertising language, and preventing business fraud, thereby further protecting the health and safety of consumers.

On 14 March 2022, ECHA’s Biocidal Products Committee (BPC) has adopted several approval opinions on the application of active substances applications, including methylene dithiocyanate, propiconazole and acetone.

Recently, South Korea’s Ministry of Environment (MoE) has released a series of deadlines, including the pre-notification deadline, approval deadline as well as the approval application submission deadline for the first batch of existing active substances. Under the requirements of the Consumer Chemical Products and Biocides Safety Act, any person who intends to manufacture or import active substance for use in biocidal products or treated articles must obtain approval from