Posted: Thu Oct 06, 05 8:36 am Post subject: New rules for detergetn biodegradeabilty labelling
NEW RULES FOR DETERGENTS ON BIODEGRADABILITY AND PRODUCT LABELLING
A new European Regulation applying to detergents comes into force on 8 October 2005. It includes a two-tier testing regime on the biodegradability of the active ingredients used in many detergents (known as surfactants), and requires ingredients information to be made available on packaging and websites.
Most commonly used surfactants such as those in domestic washing and cleaning products including washing powders must pass the more stringent biodegradability test.
Manufacturers of surfactants used in some specialist industrial detergents which only meet the less stringent biodegradability requirements can apply for an exemption to keep their products on the market. This will apply to a small number of niche products not widely used and where no viable alternative exists.
Regulation 648/2004 updates and consolidates existing European legislation on detergents. Under previous legislation, surfactants were only required to pass the less stringent biodegradability test. Additionally, not all surfactants were included within the scope of that legislation.
Regulation 648/2004 also requires detergent manufacturers to provide ingredients information on product labels. They must also make available a datasheet giving a detailed breakdown of ingredients to medical personnel on request, to help with the treatment of allergies. For detergents sold to the general public, a less detailed version of this datasheet must be made available on a website.
The Pesticides Safety Directorate (PSD) will be the Competent Authority in the UK for the purposes of this Regulation. It will be enforced on the ground by local authority trading standards officers who will be able to issue enforcement notices if they believe the Regulation is being breached.
Criminal penalties are also available for persistent or serious breaches of the Regulation.
1. Regulation (EC) NO 648/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 31 March 2004 on detergents was published in the official journal of 8 April 2004. It can be viewed at: https://www.europa.eu.int/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexapi!prod!CELEXnumdoc&lg=EN&numdoc=32004R0648&model=guichett
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