Too many unauthorised disinfectants and alcohol gels in circulation

From 1 January to 30 April 2021, the inspectors from the FPS Health carried out checks on disinfectants and hand sanitisers sold and/or provided at the entrances to establishments. Nearly 60% of the checked products were non-compliant. The main infringement is the failure to apply for authorisation for sale and use in Belgium. On a smaller scale, there were infringements concerning labelling: information in unknown languages, few or no indications on the composition and alcohol percentage, etc.
Biocides, an essential way of combating COVID-19

With the pandemic, the demand for disinfectants and hand sanitiser has exploded. Some disinfectants, cleaning products and alcohol gels that contain over 60% alcohol and without any therapeutic indication, are biocides and therefore subject to specific rules.
All biocides placed on the Belgian market must be approved by the FPS Pubic Health. In practical terms, the FPS evaluates the product’s composition, checks whether its labelling includes the necessary recommendations for safe use, notifies it to the Belgian Poison Centre and registers it in the list of authorised biocides. In this way, the FPS controls the effectiveness of biocides and limits their potential impact on health and the environment.
 
According to the WHO’s recommendation, hydroalcoholic gels should contain a minimum of 70% alcohol to be effective. To prevent all risks, the conditions of use appearing on the label must be strictly observed.
 
Ongoing wide-scale monitoring
This is why, since the start of the COVID-19 health crisis, FPS Public Health inspectors have focused their efforts on checking these biocide products. Over the first four months of 2021, they inspected 231 establishments, including 144 companies, 63 stores in a shopping centre and 24 online shopping sites. The checks targeted products provided to the public on entering stores and/or the staff of the establishments inspected. They also targeted retailers who sell such products (DIY stores, pharmacies, supermarkets, etc.), distributors and manufacturers. The inspectors checked the products' authorisation for sale in Belgium, their labelling and whether their use complied with the regulations (ref. illustrations 1, 2 and 3).

Out of the 207 establishments controlled on site, 123 were in violation. Out of the 24 online stores, 16 were in violation. It was mainly the lack of authorisation that caused the infringement. Several cases of non-compliant labels were also discovered. 8 companies rectified the situation immediately. 71 companies received a warning with a deadline within which to become compliant. In total, 44 infringement reports were drawn up for all these irregularities.

The infringements observed are the same type as those registered during the period from 01/07/2020 to 31/12/2020.  Consequently, the experts from the biocides unit of the DG Environment of the FPS Public Health have organised several meetings with the professional federations in order to inform producers and distributors of this continuing situation.