The UK sealant industry is facing a serious challenge as key biocides move through the GB Biocidal Products Regulation (BPR). One of the most critical substances at risk is Biphenyl-2-ol, a long-established workhorse preservative used to protect water-based sealants from microbial spoilage. Without it, many products simply cannot maintain stability, safety, or shelf life.
The core issue is not safety or performance, but the cost of GB approval. Since leaving the EU, each active substance must now be supported separately in Great Britain, creating duplicate regulatory pathways. For high-volume actives, this cost can be absorbed. But Biphenyl-2-ol is used in relatively small annual volumes for the sealant sector, making the economics of a full GB BPR approval extremely challenging. If no supplier commits to supporting the substance, it will simply disappear from the GB market.
The consequences could be severe. GB manufacturers would lose access to an essential preservative, forcing costly and lengthy reformulation programmes. Changing a biocide is not a “drop-in” substitution, especially for sealants that are certified under frameworks such as CE / UKCA marking, acoustic standards, façade specifications, or hygiene classifications. Reformulation requires compatibility testing, ageing studies, certification updates, and customer re-approvals. This can take years and significant investment.
At the same time, EU manufacturers may continue using Biphenyl-2-ol if it is supported under the EU BPR. Unless GB authorities actively police imports, finished sealants from the EU could legally enter the GB market with a preservative that GB manufacturers are no longer allowed to use. This creates an uneven playing field at precisely the moment when domestic producers are already carrying higher regulatory costs.
If Biphenyl-2-ol is lost, the sealant sector faces reduced product reliability, higher reformulation costs, and competitive disadvantage against imported goods. The industry urgently needs a workable route to maintain access to this essential active, or risk long-term damage to GB manufacturing capability.
BASA represents the £1.7 billion UK and Irish adhesives and sealants sector, promoting innovation, compliance, and sustainability while supporting business growth and industry standards. Visit http://www.basa.uk.com
