ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

The International Association for Soaps, Detergents and Maintenance Products (AISE) recently organised a workshop on classification and labelling (CLP) with  stakeholders including representatives from the EU institutions, member states' competent authorities and national helpdesks, representatives from poison control centres, animal welfare NGOs, academia and industry partners.

The purpose was to inform participants about two voluntary initiatives. The DetNet network (the Detergent Industry Network for CLP Classification) has been set up to share data and expertise in order to facilitate appropriate classification, while the AISE In Vitro programme aims to secure alternative test methods for detergents and cleaning products.

These initiatives, says AISE, are part of the industry’s proactive agenda for driving positive change insuring the appropriate hazardous classification and labelling, while avoiding unnecessary animal testing. The workshop also represented the opportunity to further exchange with participants in order to facilitate the harmonised application of CLP principles for the detergent and cleaning product industry across the EU.

AISE president Arndt Scheidgen said: “Our companies currently face diverging interpretations across Europe regarding the application of CLP 'bridging principles’, and/or ‘weight of evidence’ assessments using available test data on similar mixtures. This leads to business uncertainty and a clear lack of predictability for the sector.”

www.aise.eu