Laundry Pods Might Get CLP Reviews in Europe

EU and EEA nations have the choice to include liquid laundry packs in an ongoing, much-broader inspection effort. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) noted this option in late February in announcing that inspections had begun in January. The review would be focused on classification and labeling (CLP) compliance.

That is because the project (REACH-En-Force-6 or REF-6) generally aims as checking CLP compliance for chemical mixtures, especially correspondence with safety data sheets.

The broader project dates to late 2016, and laundry packs were identified for potential attention given that new rules for packaging were coming on line at the time. Much work in 2017 involved preparation for inspections, and those will occur through 2018. A report is expected at the end of 2019. Focus includes field reviews as well as internet surveillance.

A broad aspect of the project is ensuring that companies apply harmonized CLP. Earlier in 2016 (PSL, 7/4/16), the EU updated its requirements to align with the UN's Globally Harmonized System (GHS) for classification and labeling. The changes just became mandatory in February 2018.