FocusDetergent groups face more chem rules

30 January 2008 07:34  [Source: ICIS news]

By Doris de Guzman

BOCA RATON, Florida (ICIS news)--Detergent and consumer products bodies across the world will battle even more chemical legislation this year, industry officials said at the Soap and Detergent Association (SDA) meeting on Tuesday.

Several cleaning industry groups presented their strategies for 2008 as well as their key accomplishments in battling rising regulatory proposals towards cleaning ingredients at the meeting in Boca Raton, Florida.

For Europe’s International Association for Soaps, Detergents and Maintenance Products (A.I.S.E.), the implementation of the Globally Harmonised System of classification and labelling of chemicals (GHS) is what’s keeping them most busy, its director of technical and regulatory affairs, Sylvie Lemoine, said.

The EU GHS regulation is expected to be adopted in 2008, with compliance for substances expected in 2010 and for mixtures due in 2015.

“One of our issues for GHS is that we are seeing detergents and cleaning products today being classified as irritant or not classified at all,” said Lemoine.

“If the EU GHS will be implemented as currently written by tomorrow, our products will come with corrosive symbol and in turn, their containers will have to be fitted with child resistant closures.”

“Early cost assessments could amount up to €400m/year ($590.9m) over 10 years for the industry, a proportion of that is by implementing child resistant closure on products,” Lemoine said.

A.I.S.E officials said they were working to ensure the right classification of detergent and cleaning products in the EU.

“Longer term, we would like to see all detergents and cleaning products including classification and labeling handled under the detergent regulation,” added Lemoine.

Aside from GHS, A.I.S.E also noted the looming pre-registration deadline for the chemical legislation Reach as well as the incoming revision of the current Detergent Regulation due in 2009.

A.I.S.E said they are working with the European chemicals agency and their industry partners in developing an official guidance and practical tools to successfully implement Reach in the cleaning industry.

Canada, meanwhile, is facing the first batch of around 197 high priority chemicals being assessed under the government’s Chemicals Management Program (CMP), Shannon Coombs, president of the Canadian Consumer Specialty Products Association (CCSPA), said.

The organisation said it has been very active in helping shape the programme using rigorous, sound science.

“The CMP is taking up a great deal of our time at CCSPA. Right now, Canada is leading the world in how we are looking at these substances, how they’re being reviewed and managed,” said Coombs.

“What is really the key about the program is that the CMP results will impact ability to access chemicals in North America. The results will also drive reactions from the EU,” she added.

Other regulations the CCSPA is monitoring include the five-year review of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA), and proposed regulations for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in consumer products.

It is also monitoring the review of the Hazardous Products Act triggered by last year’s recalls on imported consumer products; and amendments to Food & Drugs Act.

Both the SDA and CCSPA also noted the new common North American regulations for chemical substance signed last year by Mexico, Canada and the US under the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP) program.

The SDA, CCSPA and its US counterpart the CSPA, are said to be all in agreement with the new initiative.

“We are positioning ourselves to be very proactive with the government. We are committed to due process and sound science and they see us as a wealth of resource. It will serve us well if we could deliver that information to the regulatory activities,”

“If successful, SPP is a model for a prioritized, risk-based, productive chemical assessment and management program,” said Ernie Rosenberg, SDA president and CEO.

“The analysis and characterizations under SPP, which will be less burdensome and wasteful compared to Reach, will be useful in Reach compliance and could affect Reach implementation.”

For the program to succeed, chemical manufacturers and downstream users will need to find a way to cooperate while protecting their interests, added Rosenberg.

In Japan and Australia, GHS were also the focus discussion for the Japanese Soap and Detergent Association (JSDA) and Accord, Australia’s Advocate for the Consumer, Cosmetic, Hygiene and Specialty Products Industry.

JSDA’s senior managing director Toyoteru Kanda said the organization has already developed the second draft of GHS implementation and labeling guidance documents.

According to Accord’s executive director Bronwyn Capanna, the association’s priority for GHS is not to move ahead of international trading partners until they have established their positions.

SDA’s annual 5-day meeting ends on Saturday.

($1 = €0.68)

By: Doris de Guzman
+1 713 525 2653

For the latest chemical news, data and analysis that directly impacts your business sign up for a free trial to ICIS news - the breaking online news service for the global chemical industry.

Get the facts and analysis behind the headlines from our market leading weekly magazine: sign up to a free trial to ICIS Chemical Business.

Printer Friendly