Dublin Biocides Symposium 2025

Wednesday 26th – Thursday 27th March 2025

Dear colleagues,
It is with great pleasure that I welcome you all back to our Fifth Biocides Symposium. This annual event serves as a platform for us to delve into critical issues within the EU and UK/GB Landscapes, drawing insights from key stakeholders in the biocide industry. Our aim for the symposium is to be short, relevant and focussed. The virtual format allows delegates to attend for part of the working day and catch up on calls and emails during the remaining parts of the day. We wish you all a very enjoyable symposium and hope that you learn lots of valuable and practical information which will help you in your day-to-day regulatory roles. We look forward to working with some of you as our clients on future projects.

With every good wish

Irene McGrath
Managing Director, Kerona Scientific Ltd., Ireland

Day 1 – Wednesday 26th March 2025
Times in GMT, Dublin please add one hour for Central European time

9.00h GMT

Welcome and Introductions
Dr Irene McGrath
Managing Director, Kerona Scientific Ltd., Ireland

9.10 – 9.35

EU Biocide Developments – An Irish Perspective
Dr Mervyn Parr
Risk Manager, Pesticide Registration and Control Division, DAFM, Ireland

9.35 – 9.40

Question and answer session

9.40 – 10.05

Update on the situation with Biocide Regulation in GB

Zameer Bhunnoo

Biocides Policy Advisor, Health and Safety Executive, GB

10.05 – 10.10

Question and answer session

10.10 – 10.30

Coffee Break

10.30 – 10.55

Monitoring of an experimental project related to a BPR Family

Dr Francesca Fasano
Operation Director, Chemsafe Srl, Italy

10.55 – 11.00

Question and answer session

11.00 – 11.25

Analysis of Alternatives
Martijn van Velthoven and Annemarie Haasnoot

Rules4Regulatory, Netherlands

11.25 – 11.30

Question and answer session

11.30 – 11.55

Developments in US Antimicrobial Registration
Seth Goldberg
Lawyer and Shareholder of Greenberg Traurig, LLP, Washington

11.55 –12.00

Question and answer session

12.00h

Closing remarks from Day 1

Day 2 – Thursday 27th March 2025
Times in GMT, Dublin please add one hour for Central European time

9.00h GMT

Welcome and Introductions
Dr Irene McGrath
Managing Director, Kerona Scientific Ltd., Ireland

9.10 – 9.35

Current BPC Activities
Dr Joost van Galen
Chair Biocidal Products Committee, Directorate Risk Management, ECHA, Finland
 

9.35 – 9.40

Question and answer session

9.40 – 10.05

BPR in 2025: What can product formulators expect? Perspective from the cleaning and hygiene products industry
Elodie Cazelle
Senior Scientific and Regulatory Affairs Manager at International Association for Soaps, Detergents and Maintenance Products (A.I.S.E.), Belgium

10.05 – 10.10

Question and answer session

10.10 – 10.30

Coffee Break

10.30 – 10.55

Expiry of Data Protection for the Review Data for existing AS

Darren Abrahams
Partner/Barrister and Avocat, Steptoe and Johnson LLP, Belgium

10.55 – 11.00

Question and answer session

11.00 – 11.25

Update on the state of play of implementation of the BPR

Ligia Negulici
European Commission

11.25 – 11.30

Question and answer session

11.30 – 11.45

Additional time allowed for Q&A (if required

11.45 –12.00

Closing remarks from Day 2

Speakers

Dr. Irene McGrath
Managing Director, Kerona Scientific Ltd., Ireland

Irene has a PhD in Chemistry from DCU and has spent over 30 years managing regulatory departments in industry and working as a consultant for the regulation of plant protection products, biocides, biostimulants and fertilisers in the EU. The Kerona team assist clients from the proprietary and generic plant protection, biocides, fertilisers, plant biostimulants and biopesticides industries in meeting all aspects of European Regulatory needs. Kerona Scientific is headquartered in Ireland, with offices also in the UK and Spain.

Dr Mervyn Parr
Risk Manager, Pesticide Registration and Control Division, DAFM, Ireland

Mervyn graduated in 2008 with a B.Agr.Sc (Hons., Animal Science) from University College Dublin (UCD). Mervyn then proceeded to complete his PhD (in the area of reproductive biology in cattle) in Teagasc (Agriculture and Food Development Authority in Ireland) and UCD in 2013. Between 2014 and 2018, Mervyn worked on a number of animal research programmes in Teagasc. In 2018, he joined the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and worked initially in the Integrated Control Division. Mervyn moved to the Pesticide Control Division (PCD) in 2021 and now has responsibility for biocide authorisations and co- ordination of active substance evaluations.

Zameer Bhunnoo
Biocides Policy Advisor, Health and Safety Executive, GB

Zameer has 20 years of experience working for HSE, initially employed as a regulatory inspector enforcing health and safety legislation within workplaces. Previous work also included national policy lead for violence at work and representing HSE on the International Labour Organisation’s first international treaty to recognize the right of everyone to a world of work free from violence and harassment. Zameer was also the national policy lead for mental healthcare and social care. Zameer is now based in the Biocides Policy Team primarily working on the implementation of the Great Britain Biocidal Products Regulation.

Dr Francesca Fasano
Operation Director, Chemsafe Srl, Italy

Francesca has a sound expertise in chemistry with a Degree in Industrial Chemistry, Master’s in Chemistry, and a PhD in Analytical Chemistry. During the PhD Francesca worked at the US EPA in Athens (GA). Between 2008 and 2010 Francesca participated in several research projects in analytical chemistry, with scholarships at the University of Turin, and at the Istituto Zooprofilattico of Turin. Since January 2011 Francesca works at Chemsafe on Agro/biocide projects. In 2015 Francesca became Head of the Agro/biocide BU, in 2020 Francesca becomes the Head of the Chemical BU. In 2020 she became a Member of CEN WG2. In January 2023 Francesca become the Operation Director of Chemsafe.

Martijn van Velthoven
Managing Consultant and Toxicologist, VelTox Strategy Consultancy, Co-Founder of Rules4Regulatory, Netherlands

Martijn is the Managing Consultant and Founder of VleTox Strategy Consultancy and a Co-founder of Rules4Biocides. Martijn has performed several regulatory leadership roles in various companies including Unilever, Troy Chemical Company, and Arxada. Martijn graduated from Utrecht University in Administration and Business Economics and from Radboud University where Martijn obtained a Master’s in Chemical Toxicology. Martijn successfully completed the postgraduate education in Toxicology program and has renewed his registration as a EUROTOX Toxicologist already multiple times.

Annemarie Haasnoot
Regulatory Compliance Process Consultant of Consumer Goods & Ingredients at Unpaved Regulatory Consultancy, Co-Founder of Rules4Regulatory, Netherlands

Annemarie is the Regulatory Compliance Process Consultant of Consumer Goods and Ingredients and Founder of Unpaved Regulatory Consultancy and a Co- founder of Rules4Biocides. Annemarie worked as a Regulatory Affairs Manager in Unilever for more than 23 years. Annemarie graduated with a Bachelor’s of Food Analysis from Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences. Annemarie is a voluntary Chemistry Teacher at Basisschool Duinroos Otto Baron since 2014.

Seth Goldberg
Lawyer and Shareholder of Greenberg Traurig, LLP, Washington

Seth is a lawyer and a shareholder of Greenberg Traurig, LLP, Washington. Seth focuses his practice on a broad range of chemical regulatory, environmental and life sciences matters. Seth also has experience with regulatory regimes in other jurisdictions, such as biocides, plant protection products and general chemical regulation (REACH) in the European Union, as well as similar programs in China. Prior to joining Greenberg Traurig LLP, Seth worked in Steptoe LLP for more than 45 years. Seth studied law in Binghamton University in New York and Stanford Law School. Seth is listed in “The Best Lawyers in America, Environmental Law, 2024-2025” and “The Legal 500 United States, Environment, Litigation, 2018- 2019”.

Dr Joost van Galen
Chair of BPC at European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), Finland

Joost has been the chair of the Biocidal Products Committee (BPC) at the European Chemicals Agency since August 2023. Prior to that Joost was team leader of the Biocidal Products Team and process coordinator of Union Authorisations. Previously Joost worked on biocides for almost 10 years at the Dutch competent authority (the ctgb). During that period, he was, among others, project manager for biocidal products, chair of the Coordination Group and a Seconded National Expert at ECHA for a year and half. Joost holds a Ph.D. in medical biology.

Elodie Cazelle
Senior Scientific and Regulatory Affairs Manager at International Association for Soaps, Detergents and Maintenance Products (A.I.S.E.), Belgium

Elodie joined A.I.S.E. (the European cleaning and maintenance products association) in 2008 as Scientific & Regulatory Affairs Manager. After having managed regulatory activities related to CLP/GHS, she is currently responsible for leading all the association’s activities related to biocides, and for providing support to A.I.S.E. members in implementing the BPR. Elodie is representing A.I.S.E. in various EU fora, including the Biocides Competent Authorities, Coordination Group, and ECHA Biocidal Products Committee.

Darren Abrahams
Partner/Barrister and Avocat, Steptoe and Johnson LLP, Belgium

Darren enables clients throughout the chemicals and life sciences supply chain to get and keep their products on the European market (both in the UK and the EU). Darren provides a global clientele (companies, consortia and trade associations) with strategic advice, undertakes advocacy before public authorities and agencies and litigates before courts and tribunals (including the ECHA board of appeal and CJEU). Darren has a wealth of experience with regulation of biocidal products, plant protection products, REACH, CLP, food and feed, GMOs and wider aspects of environmental law, including extensive work with the Aarhus convention.

Ligia Negulici
Policy officer, DG SANTE, European Commission

Ligia works in Unit E4 (Pesticides and Biocides) in the European Commission’s Directorate General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE). Ligia’s main responsibilities concern the implementation and monitoring of the Biocidal Products Regulation (BPR), including in particular product authorisation, derogations and reporting related matters. Ligia joined the European Commission in 2017. Prior to joining the European Commission, Ligia worked at the European Chemicals Agency and in other EU organisations. Ligia graduated in political economics from University ‘La Sapienza’ (Rome).