https://www.avient.com/sites/default/files/2021-10/microbial-susceptibility-of-various-polymers-and-evaluation.pdf
Apart from pathogenic microbes and their apparent
impact on human health, bacteria and fungi can also
cause staining, unpleasant odors, and deterioration of
polymeric product performance over time.[4,5] To reduce
the spread of infection through casual contact with con-
taminated plastic surfaces, or to extend the useful life of
polymer products by preventing the development of said
staining or odors, antimicrobial technologies can be
employed.[6] For the latter scenario, the use of Environ-
mental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered biocides in
plastic components is allowable under the “Treated Arti-
cles Exemption” set forth by The Federal Insecticide,
Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, which enables polymeric
articles to be treated for the purposes of material preser-
vation or protection without additional registration
requirements.[7]
Within the plastics industry, there are certain applica-
tions and products where biocides have already found
significant usage.