Commodity substances are chemicals which have a variety of non-pesticide uses and as well as minor uses as pesticides. If such a substance is to be used as a pesticide, it requires approval under the Control of Pesticides Regulations (COPR), and is granted approval for use only.
Sale, supply, storage and advertisement of a commodity substance as a pesticide is an offence unless specific approval has been granted for the substance to be marketed as a pesticide under an approved label. Anyone wishing to sell, supply, store or advertise any of these substances specifically as pesticides has to seek specific approval under COPR.
Information about the status of commodity substances for plant protection and biocidal uses are given below. The approval schedule detailing the conditions of use which a user must follow when using the commodity substance can be viewed by clicking on the substance name.
Plant Protection Uses
Currently approved commodity substances
The following substances were added to Annex I of Directive 91/414/EEC via Commission Directive 2008/127/EC. New EU legislation for plant protection products (Regulation (EC) No. 1107/2009) replaced Directive 91/414/EEC from 14 June 2011. These substances have since been transferred to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 540/2011, which implements Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 regarding the list of approved active substances.
Article 23 of Regulation (EC) No. 1107/2009 introduces harmonised arrangements for approval of commodity substances, which are known as ‘basic substances’ in the EU regime. We will issue further advice on the possible approval of these commodity substances as basic substances when they are reviewed / renewed.
| Substance | Use | Approved until |
| Carbon dioxide | Insecticide, acaricide and rodenticide in food storage practice | 31 August 2019 |
| Ethylene | Plant growth regulator in food storage practice | 31 August 2019 |
| Potassium Hydrogen Carbonate (Bicarbonate) | Horticultural fungicide on protected and outdoor crops | 31 August 2019 |
| Sodium hypochlorite | Horticultural bactericide on mushrooms, horticultural viricide on tomato seeds | 31 August 2019 |
| Urea | Forestry fungicide on cut tree stumps | 31 August 2019 |
Expired commodity substance approvals
| Substance | Use | Expiry date |
| Formaldehyde | Agricultural/horticultural fungicide/sterilant | 22 December 2008 |
| Peroxyacetic (peracetic) acid | Agricultural fungicide/nematicide/disinfectant | 31 December 2010 |
| Sodium Chloride | Agricultural herbicide | 31 December 2004 |
| Sulphuric acid | Agricultural desiccant | 5 June 2010 |
Biocidal Uses
Currently approved commodity/basic substances
Under the Biocidal Products Regulations these substances are now referred to as ‘basic substances’.
| Substance | Use | Approved until / link to approval on HSE website |
| 4-chloro-m-cresol | Fungicide on insect specimens | 14/05/2014 |
| Carbon dioxide | Rodenticide | No COPR approval see HSE website |
| Ethanol | Insecticide and preservative to control flying and crawling insects and fungi in museums etc. | 14/05/2014 |
| Formaldehyde | Insecticide/preservative in museums etc. | 14/05/2014 |
Expired commodity/basic substance approvals
| Substance | Use | Expiry date |
| Camphor | | 28 February 2011 |
| Carbon dioxide | Vertebrate control | 31 October 2009 |
| Ethyl acetate | insecticide in museums etc. | 28 February 2011 |
| Isopropanol | preservative/fungicide on specimens in museums etc. | 28 February 2011 |
| Liquid nitrogen | acaricide to control dust mites on furnishings in domestic and public hygiene | 28 February 2011 |
| Paraffin oil | Vertebrate control on bird eggs | COPR no longer applies |
| Tetrachloroethylene | insecticide to control flying and crawling insects on textiles | 28 February 2011 |
| Thymol | fungicide in museums etc. | 28 February 2011 |
| White spirit | insecticide to control flying and crawling insects on textiles in museums etc. | 28 February 2011 |
Further Information
The Application Guide: Commodity Substances - Details of application procedures for approval of commodity substances for plant protection uses.
Control of Pesticides Regulations (COPR)
Guidance Concerning the Approval of Commodity Chemicals Including Sulphuric Acid as Pesticides- Regulatory Update 07/2006 (Plant Protection Uses)
Guidance Concerning the Approval of Commodity Chemicals (2009)- Regulatory Update 31/2009 (Plant Protection Uses)
For up-to-date information on biocide uses see the Biocides website
