On May 4, 2021, the South Korean National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER) released the verification criteria for covid-19 related disinfecting effect, offering test method and criteria for the recognition and approval of consumer-use covid-19 sterilant/ disinfectant that has not yet included in the Covid-19 disinfection guidelines previously issued by the Ministry of Environment.

Last year, the Chemical Product Management Division of MoE had compiled the “Detailed Guideline for the Safety Use of Covid-19 Sterilizing and Disinfecting Products”， in response to the Covid-19 emergency . Based on the active ingredient and composition of disinfectants effective against similar coronavirus, the guideline specified 5 types of active substances and several lists of products approved for Covid-19 related uses including general disinfection, toilet, textile, and kitchen, etc. (excluding quasi-drug such as medicines or hand sanitizers that directly applied to human body, as well as food and food-contacting objects disinfecting products). All listed disinfectants have been previously notified or evaluated under the “Act on the Safety Management of Consumer Chemical Products and Biocides” or the” Registration and Evaluation of Chemical Substances” for product safety.

For other Covid-19 disinfecting consumer chemical products outside the guideline, NIER clarifies that the effeteness needs to be approved by submitting COA, composition list, test report from a BSL-2(or higher level) facility and test SOP.

Both internationally recognized methods and other methods notified in Korea will be acceptable, such as suspension test method (EN 14476, ASTM E1052) or surface test method (ASTM E1053, ASTM E2197), domestic notification test method (Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry-Disinfectant effect test guideline, etc.)