24 Aug What are the Requirements for Cleaning Product Labels in the UK?
Finding what applies to your cleaning products such as government regulations and certifications can be challenging. Today RGS will be examining the UK and EU regulations and requirements for cleaning products, including the EU Ecolabel for Cleaning Services program which adds confidence in customers purchasing decisions. In addition, with the rise in environmentally conscious customers, we can suggest third-party certifications to give your product a tick in sustainability.
What your cleaning product must display
There is some basic information that your cleaning products must display so customers will know what they are looking for.
- Ingredients– Customers will want the know what ingredients are being used in their cleaning products. This is because the product may be used by an eco-friendly customer or around the home amongst children.
- How to use– This can sometimes be overlooked but the directions on using the product are vital. Should the customer spray or mix the solution with water? Is the fluid damaging if not removed quickly or should it be left for a given period? Display all the relevant information that will help the customer achieve the best result from your product.
- Safety– Be sure to use the appropriate symbols to display crucial safety information to customers. For example, if your product is dangerous in a non-ventilated space you must state this, even if it may seem obvious to you.
- First aid– After sharing your safety information you will want to follow this with some first aid advice. What should the customer do if an accident occurs? Make sure you list the appropriate steps here.
- Storage– Unless your product is safe around children you will want to state that it should be “kept out of reach of children.” Other areas to consider are the temperature of the product and humidity. If your product is unsafe in direct sunlight you need to state this.
- Disposal– When a user has finished your product you must state if it should be immediately disposed of in recycling or rubbish. Are there any risks if the bottle is reused by the customer? Again, this may seem like common sense to you but having the information displayed is imperative.
- Contact Info– Customers will want to know the location their product was made and who is distributing it. Share all relevant contact details such as the address, website, and phone number of your business for any customer queries.
UK Government and EU Oversight of Cleaning Labels
The UK government and the European Parliament Council have numerous regulations in place that require cleaning manufactures and suppliers to comply with labelling requirements. Labels must identify the hazardous chemicals and explain what the hazards are and how to avoid them. There are also several legislations in place regarding chemicals that must be met by law. Let’s take a closer look at the labelling requirements of hazardous chemicals such as cleaning products in the UK.
- Classification of Hazardous Chemicals
If your product is deemed hazardous by your supplier, it must have the appropriate labelling to let people know what to do if something went wrong. Specific symbols can be used to highlight the dangers and warn people to avoid certain practices.
- Hazardous Statements
This is a statement that would warn of the nature of the hazard in the substance or the mixture. This statement will be determined by the application of the certification criteria.
- Precautionary Statements
This is a statement that describes the precautionary measures to minimise and prevent adverse effects when exposed to hazardous substances. For example, if eye protection is needed or ventilation is required your statement must mention this.
- Signal Words
The CLP regulation introduces various signal words that must be used if the criteria of the hazards are serious. Such words would be ‘Danger’ and ‘Warning’.
The EU Ecolabel for Cleaning Services
Applying for the EU Ecolabel is open to any cleaning company. It offers a great opportunity to lower companies’ environmental impact and guarantee the efficiency of their environmental efforts through the third party certification. The result of this is greater transparency on the ingredients used and their impact on human and environmental health. These certifications are mainly related to the consumer’s interest in an environmentally friendly solution for their homes.
There are seven mandatory and twelve optional criteria that aim to provide solutions to six environmental hotspots in cleaning services.
- Hotspot 1: Human and Environmental Toxicity- This relates to the toxic substances used in cleaning products that have a detrimental impact on human and environmental health.
- Hotspot 2: Inefficient Use of Detergents- Staff awareness of appropriate cleaning procedures is very low and unavailable dosing equipment leads to unnecessary overuse of detergents.
- Hotspot 3: Poor Management of Waste- Issues with waste disposal management and use of non-recyclable products by cleaning companies are causing unnecessary waste as well as water, soil, and air contamination.
- Hotspot 4: Inefficiencies Energy & Water Use- Misguided washing information regarding temperature selection is leading to unnecessary energy and water consumption.
- Hotspot 5: Undefined Environmental Action Plan- Without an action plan it is difficult for cleaning companies to monitor and progress their environmental performance.
- Hotspot 6: Transportation Emissions- Transportation time contributes to global warming via carbon dioxide emissions that could be reduced through better practices.
The EU Ecolabel certification aims at providing effective solutions to resolve issues in these hotspots and could mean a greater push in sales of your cleaning products in the future.
Recommendations for Cleaning Label Materials
Cleaning label materials must be durable enough to withstand environmental conditions that they will be used in. If you are seeking label solutions that can accommodate your requirements in cleaning products, then RGS Labels can help. We provide a variety of label materials that are ideal for cleaning products and packaging. If you are unsure what the best material is for your labels and are seeking labelling advice, get in touch with our friendly teams today!