About the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)
Toucan Eco is registered under the manufacturers name as an EU Biocide by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), which is a regulatory body responsible for setting and managing chemical legislation across the EU.
Under ECHA’s remit is Biocidal Products Regulation (or BPR), which concerns the sale and uses of biocidal products. As explained by the Agency: “These products can be used to protect humans, animals, materials or articles against harmful organisms like pests or bacteria by the action of the active substances contained in the biocidal product.”
This regulation aims to improve the functioning of the biocidal products market in the EU, while ensuring a high level of protection for humans and the environment.
Simply put, this means that all biocidal products in the EU need to be authorised before they can be sold. And, the active substances contained in that biocidal product must be approved. This means that any biocidal products not classed by the BPR are not authorised for sale.
Four biocide product groups
There are four main product types for biocides (or biocide generator in the case of Toucan Eco as you make the solution yourself) they can be classed under, and these are grouped into disinfectant, preservatives, pest control and other biocidal products. Click here for the full list.
Within the first class of disinfectants, Toucan Eco is registered for all five sub-groups. So, this means the biocide is approved by the ECHA for the use in different product types (or PTs):
- human hygiene,
- disinfection and algaecides not intended for direct application to humans or animals,
- veterinary hygiene,
- food and feed area, and
- drinking water.
On the ECHA website the registered product types are described in more detail as shown below:
PT 1 | Human hygiene | Products in this group are biocidal products used for human hygiene purposes, applied on or in contact with human skin or scalps for the primary purpose of disinfecting the skin or scalp. |
PT 2 | Disinfectants and algaecides not intended for direct application to humans or animals | Used for the disinfection of surfaces, materials, equipment and furniture which are not used for direct contact with food or feeding stuffs. Usage areas include, inter alia, swimming pools, aquariums, bathing and other waters; air conditioning systems; and walls and floors in private, public, and industrial areas and in other areas for professional activities. Used for disinfection of air, water not used for human or animal consumption, chemical toilets, waste water, hospital waste and soil. Used as algaecides for treatment of swimming pools, aquariums and other waters and for remedial treatment of construction materials. Used to be incorporated in textiles, tissues, masks, paints and other articles or materials with the purpose of producing treated articles with disinfecting properties. |
PT 3 | Veterinary hygiene | Used for veterinary hygiene purposes such as disinfectants, disinfecting soaps, oral or corporal hygiene products or with anti-microbial function. Used to disinfect the materials and surfaces associated with the housing or transportation of animals. |
PT 4 | Food and feed area | Used for the disinfection of equipment, containers, consumption utensils, surfaces or pipework associated with the production, transport, storage or consumption of food or feed (including drinking water) for humans and animals. Used to impregnate materials which may enter into contact with food. |
PT 5 | Drinking water | Used for the disinfection of drinking water for both humans and animals. |
You can search for the manufacturer’s name of Toucan Eco – it’s registered as Centrego-Aquaox B.V – in what is called the Article 95 List here.
As described on the report, this is the list of relevant substances and suppliers ECHA is required to publish under Article 95(1) of the Biocidal Products Regulation (BPR).
What does this mean to you?
This means you can be reassured that, along with the EN 1276 and 13697 for chemical disinfectants, that this product is certified for use as a disinfectant, and especially within these product classes.
Any biocide sold in the EU has to be listed with the ECHA and, if not, it is being sold illegally. That’s why some of the products now entering the European market aren’t registered and should be used with caution. It really is the case of checking what it says on the label,
But just to clarify a few additional points.
With regards to PT 4 Food and feed area, if you use the solution to wash fruit or vegetables please rinse in clean water before use.
And for PT5 Drinking water, this means that devices made by the manufacturer are used to purify drinking water, but the solution should not be drunk at the concentration made by Toucan Eco – the models shown here are calibrated for disinfecting the other product groups.