Detergents
Commission Proposal
Commission proposal COM (2010) 597 
amending Regulation (EC) No 648/2004 as regards the use of phosphates and other phosphorous compounds in household laundry detergents
The European Commission has proposed to ban the use of phosphates and to limit the content of other phosphorous containing compounds in laundry detergents. The draft Regulation aims to reduce the phosphates found in waste water and to improve water quality. The draft Regulation does not affect detergents for automatic dishwashers or those used by professionals as technically and economically feasible alternatives are not yet available throughout the EU but the European Commission will review the situation concerning automatic dishwashers detergents by end of 2014. However, Member States can regulate the phosphate content of these detergents in specific circumstances.
Impact Assessment SEC(2010)1277 final [767 KB]
Summary Impact assessment SEC(2010)1278 final [51 KB]
Opinion of the Impact Assessment Board [197 KB]
Citizen's summary [22 KB]
Current legislation on detergents
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Regulation (EC) No 551/2009 of 25 June 2009 amending Regulation (EC) No 648/2004 on detergents, in order to adapt Annexes V and VI thereto (surfactant derogation)
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Regulation (EC) No 907/2006 of 20 June 2006 amending Regulation (EC) No 648/2004 on detergents, in order to adapt Annexes III and VII thereto
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Regulation (EC) No 648/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 31 March 2004 on detergents
consolidated version (27/06/2009)
- Tiered approach guidance document [163 KB] - Methodology for the tiered approach to testing in the context of Annex IV of Regulation (EC) No 648/2004 - Commission Recommendation C/2005/5677 [3 MB] of 23. December 2005.
- List of the 26 allergenic substances [12 KB] which must be labelled on the packaging of detergents if added at concentrations exceeding 0,01% w/w - see Directive 2003/15/EC (7th amendment to Directive 76/768/EEC, Annex III, part I) on the Cosmetics website / Legislation updates
Guidance on the implementation of the detergents legislation
These guidance documents are not legally binding
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CESIO guideline [164 KB] which gives standardised declarations on biodegradability for use on Material Safety Datasheets (MSDS) to enable surfactant manufacturers to fulfil their responsibilities under Article 9 of Regulation (EC) No 648/2004
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AISE/CESIO/ECOSOL/FECC guidelines [382 KB] on the transmission of information for surfactants biodegradability as indicated by Article 9 of Regulation (EC) No 648/2004
- AISE has produced a guideline [377 KB] to help industry with the implementation of the provisions on the biodegradability of surfactants and on the labelling of detergents under Regulation (EC) No 648/2004. This guideline was approved by the Commission and Member States at a meeting of the working group on detergents on 17 January 2005
- " Read Across Rules [163 KB] " in the context of Annex III of Regulation (EC) No 648/2004
Reports of the Commission on the implementation of the Detergents Legislation
- Commission report concerning the biodegradability of the main non-surfactant organic detergent ingredients (May 2009)
- Commission report concerning anaerobic biodegradation (May 2009)
- Commission Report on phosphates in detergents (April 2007)
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Final report (1996-2001)on the results reached by the implementation of Commission Recommendation 98/480/EC of 22 July 1998, concerning good environmental practice for household laundry detergents
Studies
- 2009 laymans summary of the INIA report [155 KB]
- 2009 updated CEEP-INIA study report [4 MB] of the European Quantitative Eutrophication Risk Assessment of Polyphosphates in Detergents
- 2007 CEEP-INIA study report of the European Quantitative Eutrophication Risk Assessment of Polyphosphates in Detergents [3 MB] and the revised summary of the report [78 KB]
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Non-surfactant Organic Ingredients and Zeolite-based Detergents [845 KB] , study carried out by RPA Ltd, June 2006
- Biodegradation of Detergent Surfactants in Anaerobic Conditions, study carried out by UMSICHT in July 2003
- Cationic & Amphoteric Surfactant Primary Biodegradability Ring Test, ETD/98/502063 [194 KB]
Contact points
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Associations and federations [11 KB]
- European Commission: Requests by manufacturers for derogations under Art. 5, and enquiries concerning the detergents legislation.
- List of approved laboratories [56 KB] in accordance with Art. 8 of Regulation 648/2004
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National authorities [37 KB]
- Wash-Right Website
FAQ
FAQ on the Detergent Regulation [99 KB]
Old legislation
