New regulation “One Substance, One Assessment”
On 26 November 2025, the European Union adopted Regulation (EU) 2025/2455, which fundamentally changes the approach to managing, assessing, and sharing data on chemical substances.
Involvement of RECETOX Experts in Fulfilling Legislative Requirements for Environmental Risk Assessment of Biocides
Biocides are substances designed to kill or repel harmful organisms. A wide range of these products is available on the market, from disinfectants to wood‑preserving agents. Their common purpose is to protect human and animal health, but their use may also pose risks to the environment. For this reason, experts from the National Centre for Toxic Compounds at RECETOX (hereinafter NC) carefully assesseach substance before it enters the market.
What Biocide Assessment Is and Why It Matters
Risk assessment of biocidal substances and products is a complex process that ensures that products used in households, industry, and public institutions (hospitals, schools, authorities, etc.) do not harmnature or human health. This activity is carried out in accordance with the European Biocidal Products Regulation and the Czech Biocidal Products Act. The NC collaborates with the Ministry of theEnvironment under a formal agreement and prepares expert environmental impact assessments of biocides for the Ministry.
The RECETOX Expert Team
Four specialists are currently involved in biocide evaluation:
Mgr. Pavla Lakdawala, Ph.D., Mgr. Alexandra Benešová, Mgr. Ivana Kubínová, and Mgr. Petra Uchytilová.
Their main tasks include identifying hazardous effects of biocidal products on the environment, assessing the dose–effect relationship (how harmful a specific concentration of a substance is), analyzing thedistribution and degradation of substances in the environment, and finally quantifying the risks and estimating the likelihood of environmental damage.
The team also includes RECETOX student Bc. Natálie Šelleová, who is responsible for systematizing the guidelines issued by the European Commission to harmonize assessment procedures across EU member states. Natálie has become so interested in the topic of biocides that she is also working on her Master’s thesis at the NC.
How the Assessment System Works
Assessment takes place on two levels. First, the biocidal active substance must be approved at the EU‑wide level. A “reference member state” is selected from among European countries to carry out a complete evaluation of the documentation. In 2025, Czech experts are assessing seven substances, including natural oils from eucalyptus and lemongrass as well as industrial chemicals such as hydrogen cyanide.
Biocidal products are mostly assessed at the national level, with the option to extend authorization to other EU markets. The Czech Republic currently has around 30 active assessments as the reference stateand evaluates dozens of applications each year as a concerned member state.
International Cooperation and Professional Development
The assessors are actively involved in both national and international cooperation. They regularly participate in:
- National coordination meetings with representatives of the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of the Environment, and the Ministry of Agriculture
- Coordination meetings with ECHA
- Meetings of the Working Group on the Environment of the Biocidal Products Committee at the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)
Special attention deserves their involvement in specialized expert groups.
Dr. Pavla Lakdawala is a member of the ECHA Expert Group on Endocrine Disruptors, focusing on substances that may interfere with hormonal systems.
Mgr. Alexandra Benešová has been nominated to the Partner Expert Group, where she will help update methodologies for biocide assessment.
The team’s work also includes continuous learning through conferences and workshops organized by European institutions. This investment in professional development ensures that Czech assessmentsremain at a top international level and can address new challenges in chemical safety.
Environmental Protection as a Priority
Thanks to a well‑established assessment system, we can be confident that biocidal products available on the Czech market have undergone a thorough evaluation of their environmental impacts. Thissystem represents an important safeguard between society’s practical need to use effective biocidal substances and the protection of nature for future generations.
