WASHINGTON — The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved the first license for an antimicrobial pesticide product to deactivate anthrax spores on hard surfaces.

EPA approved the registration for Peridox — which can decontaminate a variety of dry, pre-cleaned, hard, non-porous surfaces — after reviewing data from Clean Earth Technologies. EPA deemed the product effective without causing unreasonable adverse effects.

Prior to approval, the agency issued crisis exemptions allowing use of an unregistered antimicrobial chemical to clean buildings and any contents contaminated with anthrax spores.