Display the use of specific biocidal products by company
If you wish to use certain biocidal products in your business in accordance with Section 15c of the Hazardous Substances Ordinance (GefStoffV), you must notify the competent authority of their use.
The use of certain biocidal products is subject to specific requirements.
1. If you intend to use biocidal products classified as
a) acutely toxic, Category 1, 2 or 3,
b) carcinogenic, germ cell mutagenic or toxic to reproduction, Category 1A or 1B, or
c) specifically target organ toxic, Category 1 SE or RE, or
2. where, in addition to the cases mentioned above, the user category ‘trained professional user’ has been specified in the authorisation for the intended use,
the employer must notify the competent authority of their first use and of the resumption of use following an interruption of more than one year.
Responsible authority
The relevant regional councils with local jurisdiction over industrial sites on which there is at least one installation
- which are subject to the EU Industrial Emissions Directive (installations marked with the letter E in column d of Annex 1 to the 4th BImSchV),
- which requires authorisation under Section 60(3), first sentence, points 2 and 3 of the Water Resources Act (WHG), or
- which constitute an operational area as defined in Section 3(5a) of the Federal Immission Control Act (BImSchG) (major-accident establishment),
- at least one landfill site as defined in Article 10 in conjunction with Annex I to Directive 2010/75/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 November 2010 on industrial emissions (integrated pollution prevention and control) (OJ L 334, 17 December 2010, p. 17, corrected by OJ L 158, 19 June 2012, p. 25), as amended.
For all other premises, responsibility lies
- lies with the city council if the site is situated within a city district
- with the district administration, if the premises are situated in a district.
Please ensure that you submit the notification to the authority responsible for your business premises.
Contact
Details
Prerequisite
The biocidal products mentioned may only be used by persons who possess the relevant expertise for the respective biocidal product, as defined in Annex I, point 4.4, of the Hazardous Substances Ordinance. The requirements for professional competence depend on the type of product, the uses for which the biocidal product is authorised, and the potential risk to humans and the environment.
Notwithstanding this, instruction specific to the respective use is sufficient in lieu of professional competence, provided that the use is carried out under the direct and constant supervision of a person competent in that particular use.
Procedure
Once you have submitted the notification, the relevant authority will review it and, if necessary, request further documentation. The notification is not usually confirmed.
Deadlines
The display
- of the first use and
- the start of renewed use following an interruption of more than one year
must be made no later than six weeks before use commences.
Required documents
The following information is required for the notification:
- The applicant’s name and the address of the business premises,
- Details of the company’s staffing, premises and safety equipment,
- Details of the type and intended use of the biocidal products or biocidal active substances.
Costs
none
Processing time
None, as per the report.
Miscellaneous
For the use of biocidal products in accordance with Section 15c(1) of the GefStoffV, which could be carried out without proof of competence until 30 September 2021, proof of competence must be provided by 28 July 2027 at the latest.
Legal basis
Verordnung zum Schutz vor Gefahrstoffen (Gefahrstoffverordnung – GefStoffV):
- 15c Besondere Anforderungen an die Verwendung bestimmter Biozid-Produkte
Anhang I (zu § 8 Absatz 8, § 11a Absatz 1 bis 6, § 12 Absatz 1 und 4, § 15b Absatz 3, § 15c Absatz 2 und 3, § 15d Absatz 1,3,4,6 und 7, § 15f Absatz 2, § 15g Absatz 2) Besondere Vorschriften für bestimmte Gefahrstoffe und Tätigkeiten:
- Nummer 4.2.1 Unternehmensbezogene Anzeige
- Nummer 4.4 Sachkunde
Release note
Machine generated, based on the German release by: Umweltministerium Baden-Württemberg, 19.05.2026