On October 13, 2016, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced that the Biocidal Products Committee adopted three opinions supporting the approval of active substances for use in biocidal products, including its first opinion on a nanomaterial.  The Committee supports the use of pyrogenic, synthetic amorphous silicon dioxide, nano, surface treated for insecticides, acaricides, and products to control other arthropods (product-type 18).  ECHA’s October 13, 2016, annex to a news alert states that pyrogenic, synthetic amorphous silicon dioxide, nano, surface treated, is an existing active substance.  The intended use is in insecticide products used indoors by professional operators by spraying for the control of poultry red mite (Dermanyssus gallinae) to protect domestic animals (fowl) in places such as chicken-breeding farms or egg-producing farms.  France is the evaluating competent authority of the active substance application.  The adopted opinions will serve as a basis for final decision making by the European Commission and the European Union Member States.  The approval of an active substance is granted for a defined number of years, not exceeding ten years.  ECHA states that the opinions will be available on its website “in the near future.”

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