Compliance

The Detergent Regulation (EC) No 648/2004 is a direct acting Regulation throughout the EU. The administrative and enforcement provisions in Ireland are set out in the Chemicals Act 2008 & 2010, which outlines the various roles and functions of the respective competent and enforcement authorities. The Act sets out the powers of the inspectors, types of enforcement powers, offences and penalties. 

There are four national authorities listed under the Chemicals Act for Detergents

• Health and Safety Authority
• Environmental Protection Agency, in respect of matters relating to biodegradability of surfactants in detergents
• Beaumont Hospital Board, for the purposes only of Article 9(3) of the Detergents Regulation; and
• Irish National Accreditation Board, for the purposes only of Article 8(2) and (3) of the Detergents Regulation
  
  

The Regulation sets out specific labelling requirements for detergents, and on the information that manufacturers must hold at the disposal of the Member States’ competent authorities and medical personnel.

Manufacturers must, on request, make available to the Beaumont Hospital Board, without delay and free of charge, an ingredient datasheet as stipulated in Annex VII C of the Regulation. The task of providing this product information to meet the needs of medical professionals has been assigned to the National Poisons Information Centre (NPIC) which is based in Beaumont Hospital

Further information is available on https://www.hsa.ie/eng/Legislation