The European Commission adopted, on Thursday 14 September, updated EU Ecolabel criteria for absorbent hygiene products. This decision reinforces the current criteria for tampons, pads and nappies, and extends them for the first time to reusable menstrual cups.
The EU Ecolabel is a voluntary scheme under which products displaying it can demonstrate their good environmental performance - verified by a third party - in terms of reducing their environmental footprint throughout their life cycle.
The updated criteria take into account impacts on air, water, soil and biodiversity, as well as damages or risks related to chemical use.
In particular, they concern emissions of air and water pollutants and CO2 emissions; - fibres sourced from sustainably managed forests; - the absence of banned dangerous substances such as antibacterial agents, formaldehyde, parabens, endocrine disruptors and phthalates; - the absence of perfumes and lotions likely to cause allergies.
The new requirements also include fitness-for-use criteria guaranteeing high quality products, as well as mandatory third-party verification of the corporate social responsibility of the manufacturing site with regard to labour aspects.
The new criteria and associated assessment and verification requirements should remain valid until 31 December 2029, taking into account the innovation cycle of the product groups.
To see the Commission’s decision: https://aeur.eu/f/8jz
To see Annex I for definitions: https://aeur.eu/f/8k0
To see Annex II: https://aeur.eu/f/8k1 (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)