Packaging Laundry Liquitabs

CLP  imposes extra duties on companies supplying laundry liquitabs for consumer use.  Liquitabs are the brightly coloured soluble packages used for laundry detergent, which can look like they might be sweets, especially to a small child.

In Part 3 of Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 the following section 3.3 is added:

‘3.3 Liquid consumer laundry detergents in soluble packaging for single use

Where a liquid consumer laundry detergent in dosages for single use is contained in a soluble
packaging, the following additional provisions shall apply:

3.3.1. Liquid consumer laundry detergents contained in soluble packaging for single use shall be
contained in an outer packaging. The outer packaging shall fulfil the requirements of section 3.3.2
and the soluble packaging shall fulfil the requirements of section 3.3.3.

3.3.2. The outer packaging shall:
(i) be opaque or obscure so that it impedes the visibility of the product or individual doses;
(ii) without prejudice to Article 32(3), bear the precautionary statement P102 “Keep out of reach
of children” at a visible place and in a format that attracts attention;
(iii) be an easily reclosable, self-standing container;
(iv) without prejudice to the requirements of section 3.1, be fitted with a closure that:
(a) impedes the ability of young children to open the packaging by requiring coordinated action of
both hands with a strength that makes it difficult for young children to open it;
(b) maintains its functionality under conditions of repeated opening and closing for the entire
life span of the outer packaging.

3.3.3. The soluble packaging shall:
(i) contain an aversive agent in a concentration which is safe, and which elicits oral repulsive
behaviour within a maximum time of 6 seconds, in case of accidental oral exposure;
(ii) retain its liquid content for at least 30 seconds when the soluble packaging is placed in
water at 20 °C;
(iii) resist mechanical compressive strength of at least 300 N under standard test conditions.’

Note that laundry liquitabs are not required to have a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for consumer use, although if they are being provided to professional users this may be a requirement.