HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"L 111/34
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
30.4.2011
COMMISSION DECISION
of 28 April 2011
on establishing the ecological criteria for the award of the EU Ecolabel for laundry detergents
(notified under document C(2011) 2815)
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2011/264/EU)
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
(5) Decision
2003/200/EC
should
be
replaced
for
reasons
of
clarity.
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European
Union,
(6) A
transitional
period
should
be
allowed
for
producers
whose products have been awarded the Ecolabel for
laundry detergents on the basis of the criteria set out
in Decision 2003/200/EC, so that they have sufficient
Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 66/2010 of the European
time to adapt their products to comply with the
Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2009 on the EU
revised criteria and requirements. Producers should also
Ecolabel (
be allowed to submit applications based on the criteria

1 ), and in particular Article 8(2) thereof,
set out in Decision 2003/200/EC or on the criteria set
out in this Decision until the lapse of validity of that
Decision.
After consulting the European Union Eco-labelling Board,
(7) The
measures
provided
for
in
this
Decision
are
in
accordance with the opinion of the Committee estab
Whereas:
lished by Article 16 of Regulation (EC) No 66/2010,
(1) Under
Regulation
(EC)
No
66/2010,
the
EU
Ecolabel
may HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
be awarded to those products with a reduced environ
mental impact during their entire life cycle.
Article 1
The product group ‘Laundry Detergents’ shall comprise: laundry
(2) Regulation
(EC)
No
66/2010
provides
that
specific
EU detergents and pre-treatment stain removers whether in powder,
Ecolabel criteria are to be established according to
liquid or any other form which are marketed and used for the
product groups.
washing of textiles principally in household machines but not
excluding their use in launderettes and common laundries.
(3) Commission
Decision
1999/476/EC
( 2 ) has established
Pre-treatment stain removers include stain removers used for
the ecological criteria and the related assessment and
direct spot treatment of textiles (before washing in the
verification requirements for laundry detergents.
machine) but do not include stain removers dosed in the
Following the review of the criteria set out in that
washing machine and stain removers dedicated to other uses
Decision, Commission Decision 2003/200/EC ( 3 ) has
besides pre-treatment.
established revised criteria which are valid until
30 April 2011.
This product group shall not comprise products that are dosed
by carriers such as sheets, cloths or other materials nor washing
(4) Those
criteria
have
been
further
reviewed
in
the
light
of auxiliaries used without subsequent washing, such as stain
technological developments. It results from the review
removers for carpets and furniture upholstery.
that it is necessary to modify the definition of the
product group so as to include a new sub-product
group and to establish new criteria. Those new criteria,
Article 2
as well as the related assessment and verification
requirements, should be valid for 4 years from the date
1. For the purpose of this Decision, the following definitions
of adoption of this Decision.
shall apply:
( 1 ) OJ L 27, 30.1.2010, p. 1.
( 2 ) OJ L 187, 20.7.1999, p. 52.
(1) ‘heavy-duty detergents’ means detergents used for ordinary
( 3 ) OJ L 76, 22.3.2003, p. 25.
washing of white textiles at any temperature;

---

EN
30.4.2011 Official
Journal
of
the
European
Union L
111/35
(2) ‘colour-safe detergents’ means detergents used for ordinary
Article 6
washing of coloured textiles at any temperature;
Decision 2003/200/EC is repealed.
(3) ‘low-duty detergents’ means detergents intended for delicate
fabrics;
Article 7
1. By
derogation
from
Article
6,
applications
for
the
EU
(4) ‘substance’ means a chemical element and their compounds
Ecolabel for products falling within the product group
in the natural state or obtained by any production process,
‘Laundry Detergents’ submitted before the date of adoption of
including any additive necessary to preserve the stability of
this Decision shall be evaluated in accordance with the
the products and any impurity deriving from the process
conditions laid down in Decision 2003/200/EC.
used, but excluding any solvent which may be separated
without affecting the stability of the substance or
changing its composition.
2. Applications
for
the
EU
Ecolabel
for
products
falling
within the product group ‘Laundry Detergents’ submitted from
2. For
the
purposes
of
paragraph
1(1)
and
(2),
a
detergent the date of adoption of this Decision but by 30 April 2011 at
shall be considered either a heavy-duty detergent or a colour-
the latest may be based either on the criteria set out in Decision
safe detergent except where the detergent is predominantly
2003/200/EC or on the criteria set out in this Decision.
intended and marketed for delicate fabrics.
For the purposes of paragraph 1(3), liquid detergents for
Those applications shall be evaluated in accordance with the
ordinary washing of white and coloured textiles shall not be
criteria on which they are based.
considered low-duty detergents.
Article 3
3. Where the Ecolabel is awarded on the basis of an appli
cation evaluated according to the criteria set out in Decision
In order to be awarded the EU Ecolabel under Regulation (EC)
2003/200/EC, that Ecolabel may be used for 12 months from
No 66/2010, an item of laundry detergent or pre-treatment
the date of adoption of this Decision.
stain remover shall fall within the product group ‘Laundry
Detergents’ as defined in Article 1 of this Decision and shall
comply with the criteria as well as the related assessment and
verification requirements set out in the Annex to this Decision.
Article 8
This Decision is addressed to the Member States.
Article 4
The criteria for the product group ‘Laundry Detergents’, as well
as the related assessment and verification requirements, shall be
Done at Brussels, 28 April 2011.
valid for 4 years from the date of adoption of this Decision.
Article 5
For the Commission
For administrative purposes the code number assigned to the
Janez POTONIK
product group ‘Laundry Detergents’ shall be ‘6’.
Member of the Commission

---

L 111/36
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
30.4.2011
ANNEX
FRAMEWORK
The aims of the criteria
The criteria aim, in particular, at promoting products that have a reduced impact on aquatic ecosystems, contain a limited
amount of hazardous substances and whose performance has been tested. The criteria furthermore aim at reducing the
energy consumption from laundering by promoting products that are efficient at low temperatures.
CRITERIA
Criteria are set for each of the following aspects:
1. Dosage requirements
2. Toxicity to aquatic organisms: Critical Dilution Volume (CDV)
3. Biodegradability of organics
4. Excluded or limited substances and mixtures
5. Packaging requirements
6. Washing performance (fitness for use)
7. Points
8. Consumer information
9. Information appearing on the EU Ecolabel.
1. Assessment and verification
(a) Requirements
The specific assessment and verification requirements are indicated within each criterion.
Where the applicant is required to provide declarations, documentation, analyses test reports, or other evidence to show
compliance with the criteria, it is understood that these may originate from the applicant and/or his supplier(s) and/or
their supplier(s), et cetera as appropriate.
Where possible, the testing should be performed by laboratories that meet the general requirements of EN ISO 17025 or
equivalent.
Where appropriate, test methods other than those indicated for each criterion may be used if the competent body
assessing the application accepts their equivalence.
Appendix I makes reference to the detergent ingredient database (DID list) which contains the most widely used
ingredients used in detergent formulations. It shall be used for deriving the data for the calculations of the Critical
Dilution Volume (CDV) and for the assessment of the biodegradability of the ingredients. For substances not present on
the DID list, guidance is given on how to calculate or extrapolate the relevant data. The latest version of the DID list is
available from the EU Ecolabel website or via the websites of the individual competent bodies.
Where appropriate, competent bodies may require supporting documentation and may carry out independent verifi
cations.
(b) Measurement thresholds
Constituent substances the concentration of which exceeds 0,010 % by weight of the preparation shall comply with the
ecological criteria.
For preservatives, colouring agents and fragrance compliance with the criteria is required regardless of their concentration
except for criterion 4(b) on excluded or limited substances and mixtures.
Ingoing substances are defined as all substances in the product including additives (e.g. preservatives or stabilisers) in the
ingredients. Impurities resulting from the raw material production, which are present in concentrations > 0,010 % by
weight of the final formulation shall also comply with the criteria.
Where the dosage instruction on the package has specifications for both prewash and subsequent wash (in addition to a
normal, single wash), the total dosage (prewash + wash) shall also comply with the ecological criteria.

---

EN
30.4.2011 Official
Journal
of
the
European
Union L
111/37
If the product has a water-soluble foil intended not to be removed before washing, the foil must be considered to be part
of the product formulation in all requirements.
2. Functional unit
The functional unit for this product group shall be expressed in g/kg wash (grams per kilo wash).
3. Reference dosage
For ‘heavy-duty detergents’ and ‘colour-safe detergents’ the dosage recommended by the manufacturer to consumers for
the water hardness of 2,5 mmol CaCO 3 /l and ‘normally soiled’ textiles is taken as the reference dosage for the calculation
of the ecological criteria, and for the testing of washing performance. For heavy-duty detergents and colour-safe
detergents this is related to the dosage per 4,5 kg load (dry textiles) in the washing machine.
For ‘low-duty detergents’ the dosage recommended by the manufacturer to consumers for the water hardness of 2,5
mmol CaCO 3 /l and ‘lightly soiled’ textiles is taken as the reference dosage for the calculation of the ecological criteria, and
for the testing of washing performance. For low-duty detergents this is related to the dosage per 2,5 kg load (dry textiles)
in the washing machine.
If the recommended dosage is stated for other wash load sizes than the above, the reference dosage used for calculation of
the ecological criteria must, however, correspond to the average load size. If the water hardness of 2,5 mmol CaCO 3 /l is
not relevant in the Member States in which the detergent is marketed, the applicant shall specify the dosage used as the
reference.
Requirements relating to assessment and verification of (2) Functional unit and (3) Reference dosage: The full formulation
indicating trade name, chemical name, CAS No, DID No (*), the ingoing quantity including and excluding water and
the function of all the ingoing ingredients (regardless of concentration) in the product must be submitted to the
competent body. A sample of the artwork including dosage recommendations must be submitted to the competent body.
Safety data sheets for each ingredient shall be submitted to the competent body in accordance with Regulation (EC) No
1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council ( 1 ).
The DID list can be found on the EU Ecolabel website: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/ecolabel/ecolabelled_products/
categories/did_list_en.htm