On June 21, the South Korean National Institute of Environmental Research Institute (NIER) issued guidance documents for the approval or notification of sustained chlorine dioxide releasing products, a category not yet been designated as consumer chemical products subject to safety verification, but provoked growing concerns after the covid-19 pandemic.

NIER clarifies that whether a chlorine dioxide releasing product should be determined by the risk of human contact and respiratory exposure:

• High Risk-Products used in living spaces such as indoor spaces and vehicles need to apply to NIER for approval and manufacturers/importers may refer to the “NIER Notice 2021-2 Regulation on the Approval of Consumer Chemical Products Subject to Safety Verification” for administrative details;

• Low- Products used in specific enclosed spaces such as drainpipe area, refrigerators, and closets need to conduct the risk assessment and safety verification at the Korean Environmental Industry and Technology Institute, following the administrative procedures, packaging and labeling standards specified in the “MoE Notice 2020-117 Designation of Consumer Chemical Products Subject to Safety Verification and Safety and Labeling Standards”.

Apart from the administrative instructions extracted from different regulations, NIER offered 3 methods for risk assessment, efficacy, and chlorine dioxide release：

• Attachment 1-Information on how to apply for the approval of consumer chemical products subject to safety verification (chlorine dioxide releasing products， PDF in Korean)

• Attachment 2-Method for the risk assessment of sustained chlorine dioxide releasing disinfectants(PDF in Korean);

• Attachment 3-Method for the efficacy test of sustained chlorine dioxide releasing disinfectants(PDF in Korean);

• Attachment 4-Testing method for the chlorine dioxide releasing(PDF in Korean).