Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) has granted full approval to I-Tech AB’s antifouling active agent Selektope, under the country’s Chemical Substance Control Law (CSCL)
I-Tech chief executive Philip Chaabane said “We welcome the upgraded approval of Selektope under the Japanese CSCL which responds to the desire of our customers to further expand their business in Japan using our technology. Japan is an important market for I-Tech and the success we have achieved so far clearly justifies the investments made to achieve an upgraded regulatory position for Selektope in that country.”
The product has held a low production volume exemption in Japan since 2013 and will now be included in the CSCL registry as a specified new chemical substance following full approval. The evaluation of Selektop as a new chemical substance under the CSCL was entailed thorough risk assessments for humans and the environment to ensure the antifouling biocide is safe to use.
CSCL approval of chemicals for use in Japan aims to prevent environmental pollution caused by chemical substances that pose a risk to human and environmental health.
Selektope is a a barnacle-repelling active agent and used as an organic, non-metal ingredient for marine antifouling coatings that works to prevent barnacle fouling by temporarily activating the swimming behaviour of barnacle larvae, repelling them from the ship hull surface with non-fatal effect. Heavy barnacle fouling increases hydrodynamic drag, which in turn increases a vessel’s fuel consumption and raises emissions levels. Selektope is used in several marine coatings including Chugoku Marine Paints’ premium product Seaflo Neo CF Premium.
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