THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 528/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 May 2012 concerning the making available on the market and use of biocidal products, and in particular the third subparagraph of Article 89(1) thereof,
Whereas:
(1)
Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 1062/2014 establishes a list of existing active substances to be evaluated for their possible approval for use in biocidal products. That list includes active chlorine released from sodium hypochlorite (hereafter referred to as ‘sodium hypochlorite’).
(2)
Sodium hypochlorite has been evaluated in accordance with Article 16(2) of Directive 98/8/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council for use in products of product-type 1, human hygiene biocidal products, product-type 2, private area and public health area disinfectants and other biocidal products, product-type 3, veterinary hygiene biocidal products, product-type 4, food and feed area disinfectants, and product-type 5, drinking water disinfectants, as defined in Annex V to that Directive, which correspond respectively to product-types 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 as defined in Annex V to Regulation (EU) No 528/2012.
(3)
Italy was designated as evaluating competent authority and submitted the assessment reports together with its recommendations on 17 May 2010.
(4)
In accordance with Article 7(2) of Delegated Regulation (EU) No 1062/2014, the opinions of the European Chemicals Agency were formulated on 14 December 2016 by the Biocidal Products Committee, having regard to the conclusions of the evaluating competent authority.
(5)
According to those opinions, biocidal products of product-types 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 containing sodium hypochlorite may be expected to satisfy the requirements of Article 5 of Directive 98/8/EC, provided that certain specifications and conditions concerning its use are complied with.
(6)
It is therefore appropriate to approve sodium hypochlorite for use in biocidal products of product-types 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, subject to compliance with certain specifications and conditions.
(7)
A reasonable period should be allowed to elapse before an active substance is approved in order to permit interested parties to take the preparatory measures necessary to meet the new requirements.
(8)
The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Biocidal Products,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: