Focus on claims prohibited by the Biocidal Regulation (BPR)
When we place a biocidal product on the market we must comply with the Biocidal Products Regulation (EU) No 528/2012 and in particular Articles 69 and 72 which govern respectively the labelling and advertising of biocidal products.
More specifically, labelling and advertising must not include the words ‘low-risk biocidal product’, ‘non-toxic’, ‘not harmful to health’, ‘natural’, ‘environmentally friendly’, ‘animal-friendly’ or any other similar indication. (1)
Some explanations to see more clearly !
Curious why these terms are prohibited? Well, because advertisements and labels for biocidal products must not refer to the product in a way that is likely to mislead the user as to the risks it may pose to human health, animal health, the environment or its effectiveness. Each of the claims cited above may lead to the belief that the product is safe for health or the environment and therefore mislead the customer.
Our strength ? Respect these prohibitions and find non-misleading alternatives
At Breyner we are committed to bringing products to market that comply withregulations. For this we try to find alternatives to these famous prohibited mentions but it is a major challenge in view of the many biocidal products that proudly wear them and therefore overshadow our sincere approach to the consumer.
To enlighten you about the benefits and make you aware of the complications we encounter on a daily basis, here are some concrete examples :
- We use synthetic geraniol and natural geraniol depending on the positioning of our brands. However,when we write the label or an advertisement for one of our formulationscontaining natural geraniol, sincethis claim is prohibited by the BPR, we have found the alternative ‘of plant origin’. Why is itsimply “vegetable” you say? Well, the competent control authorities consider that the term “plant” is equivalent to “natural” and therefore misleading for the consumer. The terms “vegetable” and “natural” lead to believe that the product is directly derived from the plant without transformation, but physical transformations make it possible to obtain the raw material and therefore it must be specified that geraniol is “of plant origin” because it has undergone changes from its plant stage to its liquid raw material stage.
- Breyner is a GREEN company with a sincere approach: our treatments are formulated with Geraniol, a non-neurotoxic active substance for humans, also not classified as dangerous for the aquatic environment; Finally, our treatments are also not classified as skin sensitizers. In this ethical approach and in order to go further in our commitment, in 2021 we have chosen to install hives on our production site to ensure that our production site does not impact them. Imagine that they blossom fully! (2) Yet despite all our efforts (and they are not the only ones) we had to find alternatives because it is impossible for us to mention “respectful of the environment / animals” or “does not harm health”, so we use “control of the impact on human health and the environment” because guaranteeing you quality while being vigilant about the impacts of the product is our daily fight.
- A biocidal product remains primarily a chemical, even if efforts are made to move away from traditional heavy chemistry it is intended to destroy, repel or render harmless harmful organisms. Indeed, when you are infested with bed bugs or you suffer discomfort due to the presence of mites, you only want one thing, to exterminate the pest! (3) It is therefore misleading or even absurd to say that a biocidal product is “non-toxic”, especially if it has pictograms and danger phrases on its label. In order to stand out, Breyner prefers to specify that its product is “not classified as hazardous to the aquatic environment” or “not classified as skin sensitizer” unlike many competitive products that have these classifications.
We hope that thanks to this little focus you will have become aware that it is misleading to find on the market a natural biocidal product, it does not comply with the “external” regulations in terms of packaging so what can we think of the product inside…
A tip, keep your eyes open and look for products inspired by plants, of plant origin and that have a controlled impact on health and the environment! And remember that overly chemical solutions should not be the first reflex, they can both have a harmful impact on your health and the planet, but also be easy marketing arguments, in the face of distraught people. Follow us in this beautiful process by subscribing to our social networks.
Sources:
(1) https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=celex:32012R0528
(2) https://breyner.fr/2021/05/24/installation-of-beehives/