Regulation (EC) No. 648/2004 on detergents
 Regulation (EC) No. 648/2004 |
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|---|---|
| Title: | Regulation (EC) No. 648/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of March 31, 2004 on detergents |
| Designation: (not official) |
Detergent regulation |
| Scope: | EEA |
| Legal matter: | Environmental law , food law |
| Basis: | EGV , especially Art. 95 |
| Procedure overview: |
European Commission European Parliament IPEX Wiki |
| To be used from: | October 8, 2005 |
| Reference: | OJ L 104 of 8.4.2004, pp. 1-35 |
| Full text |
Consolidated version (not official) basic version |
| Regulation has entered into force and is applicable. | |
| Please note the information on the current version of legal acts of the European Union ! | |
The Detergents Ordinance harmonises the rules for placing detergents and surfactants on the market. The biodegradability of surfactants in detergents, the labeling of detergents, including allergy- inducing fragrances and information that manufacturers must keep ready for the competent authorities of the Member States and the medical staff are particularly important. In Germany, the detergent and cleaning agent law refers to this ordinance. The Robert Koch Institute is the central collection point for manufacturer information.
Detergents are defined as substances or preparations that contain surfactants for washing and cleaning purposes. These include washing aids for soaking (prewashing), rinsing or bleaching, fabric softeners and cleaning agents such as all-purpose household cleaners. Surfactants are defined as surface-active substances that have hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups. They serve to reduce the surface tension of the water, to form monomolecular scattering or adsorption layers at the water / air interface, (micro) emulsions and micelles with the aim of accumulating at the water / solid interface.
The labeling must include the name and trade name of the product, the trade mark and the full address and telephone number of the economic operator who is responsible for placing the product on the market. The address, email address, if available, and telephone number at which the data sheet is available must also be given.
Furthermore, the regulation describes analytical test methods to check the surfactants.
The amending regulation (EU) No. 259/2012 in Annex VIa to 648/2004 provides that from January 1, 2017, only machine dishwashing detergents for private consumers that contain less than 0.3 grams of phosphorus per standard dosage may be placed on the market .