89/542/CEE: Recommendation of the Commission, September 13, 1989, concerning the l...

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Community legislation in force

Document 389H0542

389H0542
89/542/CEE: Recommendation of the Commission, September 13, 1989, concerning
the labelling of the detergents and the maintenance products
Official journal n° L 291 of the 10/10/1989 p. 0055 - 0056

Text:

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RECOMMENDATION OF THE COMMISSION
from September 13, 1989
concerning the labelling of the detergents and maintenance products
(89/542/CEE)
COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, considering the treaty
establishing the European Economic community, and in particular its article 155 second
indent,
considering that the detergents and maintenance products are the subject already of certain
Community provisions relating to labelling, in particular directive 73/404/CEE of the
Council, of November 22, 1973, relating to the approximation of the laws of the Member
States relating to the detergents (1), modified lastly by the directive 86/94/CEE (2), and of
the directive 88/379/CEE of the Council, of June 7, 1988, relating to the bringing together
of the legislative measures, lawful and administrative of the Member States relating to
classification, the packing and the labelling of the dangerous preparations (3), modified
lastly by the directive 89/178/CEE (4);
considering that separate Community provisions apply to the cosmetic products, which are
not covered by the present recommendation;
considering that information with the consumer could be improved by a more detailed
labelling of the detergents and maintenance products and that this labelling should be
applied uniformly in the Community;
considering that will make it possible to use these products with more understanding,
which will have a direct incidence on water quality and of envionnement in general;
considering that there exists in each Member State of national associations representing
the great majority of the companies working in the sector of the detergents and the
maintenance products of this Member State; that each one of them is member either of the
BOARD (International association of the soap factory and detergency), or of the FIFE
(International federation of associations of manufacturers of maintenance products);
considering that the BOARD and the FIFE together represent more than 90% of the
companies of the industry of the detergents and the maintenance products of the
Community;
considering that, following the adoption of the directive 88/379/CEE, it is advisable to
implement this recommendation as soon as possible in order to supplement the
Community provisions in this field,
MAKE THE PRESENT RECOMMENDATION:
Article first
Within the meaning of the present recommendation, the “detergents and maintenance

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89/542/CEE: Recommendation of the Commission, September 13, 1989, concerning the l... Page 2 of 3
products” indicate the market products as well with the general public as with the
industrial sector which are designed for the washing or the cleaning or which intervenes in
such processes and whose one knows that they are likely to be poured in the watery
environment after their use.
Article 2
1. The packing of the detergents and the maintenance products indicates the presence of
the substances mentioned hereafter if they are added when their concentration exceeds
0,2%:
- phosphates,
- phosphonates,
- surface-active anion,
- surface-active cation,
- surface-active amphoteric,
- surface-active nonionic,
- oxygenated bleaching agents,
- chlorinated bleaching agents,
- EDTA,
- NTA,
- halogenous phenols and phenols,
- paradichlorobenzene,
- aromatic hydrocarbons,
- aliphatic hydrocarbons,
- halogenous hydrocarbons,
- soap,
- zeolites,
- polycarboxylates.
The concentration of these products is indicated in the following form:
- less than 5%,
- 5 but less than 15%,
- 15 but less than 30%,
- 30% and more.
The following classes of compounds, if they are added, are reproduced on the label,
whatever their concentration:
- enzymes,
- conservatives/disinfecting.
2. For the detergents and maintenance products used only in the industrial sector, the
above-mentioned requirements should not necessarily be respected if corresponding
information is provided by means of data sheets, of cards of information or by any other
similar means.
3. Moreover, the packing of the detergents or maintenance products sold with the general
public for being used for the detergent comprises the following information:
quantities recommended and/or instructions of proportioning expressed in millilitres or
grams, corresponding to a normal load of washing machines, for the classes of hardness
water specified thus that the instructions for one or two cycles of washing. If a dosing
goblet is provided with the product, its capacity is also indicated in millilitres or grams.
Article 3
1. The Member States and European associations of industry concerned (BOARD and
FIFE), in collaboration with the Commission, ensure the implementation of this
recommendation. This implementation is obtained, on the one hand, by the commitment
entered into by the BOARD and the FIFE with regard to the Commission to make respect
the provisions of this recommendation and, on the other hand, by national associations
which inform the competent authorities of the Member States of the implementation of the
provisions.
This information makes it possible these authorities to supervise the implementation of

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these provisions. The BOARD and the FIFE as well as national associations make known
the provisions of this recommendation at all the non-members working in this sector and
they encourage them to respect these requirements.
The Member States are informed by national associations and the Commission by the
BOARD and the FIFE of the extent to which the requirements of this recommendation are
respected.
2. The Member States inform the Commission of measurements taken to give effect to the
present recommendation.
3. Periodically, and the first time one year at the latest after the implementation of this
recommendation, the Member States as well as the BOARD and the FIFE organizes
consultations with the Commission on the application of the recommendation.
Article 4
The present recommendation takes effect on October 15, 1989.
Fact at Brussels, on September 13, 1989.
By the Commission
Martin BANGEMANN
Vice-president
(1) OJ No L 347 of the 17. 12. 1973, p. 51.
(2) OJ No L 80 of the 25. 3. 1986, p. 51.
(3) OJ No L 187 of the 16. 7. 1988, p. 14.
(4) OJ No L 64 of the 8. 3. 1989, p. 18.

End of the document

Document delivered it: 23/07/2001

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