The European Commission has published, just before the end of 2020, a regulation to be complied with throughout the euro zone and which affects some personal hygiene products: the new Regulation 2020/2151 on CE Marking of Single-Use Plasticswhich regulates the marking of single-use plastic products.
In this new legal text harmonised specifications are published for the CE marking of single-use plastic articlesThese include some hygiene products - such as sanitary towels, tampons and wet wipes - and the products that are used in the hygiene sector. tobacco products with filters - and filters marketed for tobacco products - and beverage cups.
CE Marking of Single-Use Plastics - On 17 December 2020, a few weeks before the end of the year, the European Commission published the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/2151of 17 December 2020, playing down rules on harmonised specifications for the marking of single-use plastic products listed in Part D of the Annex to Directive (EU) 2019/904 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment.
The European Commission's new legislation starts with a basic mission, related to environmental protection: reduce the ecological impact that some plastic products have on the environment.. In other words, the aim is to make citizens aware of the environmental impact of the plastics they consume, and to provide them with better information about the single-use plastics used in the manufacture of some commonly used products.
And we hope that this will be the case, through the use of this new CE marking.
CE marking of single-use plastics:
Which products are affected by the new Regulation 2020/2151 and how does it affect them?
It is a regulation that harmonises, for the whole of the euro area, the CE marking of Single-Use Plastic Products. And that it therefore affects the marking of some of the hygiene products considered to be commonly used by the majority of the population:
- the wet wipes
- the compresses
- the tampons
In addition, the Regulation 2021/2151 on the Marking of Single-Use Plasticsalso regulates the CE marking of the following products:
- the filters for tobacco products
- the beverage glasses
With regard to the changes brought about by the new Regulation, the use of symbols shared by all countries has been harmonised within the instructions for use contained in each product, which will allow the EU consumer to easily identify the material from which an article has been manufactured.
And it is not only the symbols for the CE marking that are harmonised: they are also harmonised. the position of that symbol on the labelling, the size of the marking, and even the design and colours used on the brand.
Do you want to know what are these new symbols to be used for the CE marking of single-use plastics? Read on!
CE Marking of Single-Use Plastics: Annexes to Regulation 2020/2151
The Regulation 2020/2151 on CE Marking of Single-Use Plastics includes 4 annexes, which publish the symbols to be used from now on for CE Marking of Single-Use Plastics. Each of the annexes corresponds to an affected product category.
Thus, the 4 annexes refer to:
-
- Annex I: Harmonised specifications for the marking of sanitary towels and tampons and tampon applicators
- Annex II: Harmonised wet wipe marking specifications
- Annex III: Harmonised specifications for the marking of tobacco products containing filters and filters placed on the market for use in combination with tobacco products
- Annex IV: Harmonised marking specifications for beverage cups
Annex I: Harmonised specifications for the marking of sanitary towels and tampons and tampon applicators
Main novelties in Compresses:
- The packaging of sanitary towels, with a surface area of 10 cm2 or more, shall bear the following printed marking
- The marking of packaging for sanitary towels placed on the market before 4 July 2022 may be affixed by means of stickers.
Main novelties in Tampons:
- The packaging of tampons and tampon applicators, with a surface area of 10 cm2 or more, shall be marked as follows
printed marking - The marking of tampon packaging and tampon applicators placed on the market before 4 July 2022 may be affixed by means of stickers.
Annex II: Harmonised specifications for the marking of wet wipes
Main novelties in CE Marking of Wet Wipes:
- The packaging of wet wipes (i.e. pre-moistened wipes for personal hygiene and household use), from
an area of 10 cm2 or more, shall bear the following printed marking - The marking of tampon packaging and tampon applicators placed on the market before 4 July 2022 may be affixed by means of stickers.
Annex III: Harmonised specifications for the marking of tobacco products with filters and filters marketed for use in combination with tobacco products
Main developments in the CE Marking of Tobacco Filters:
- Unit packets, as defined in Article 2(30) of Directive 2014/40/EC ('unit packets'), and the outer packaging, as defined in Article 2(29) of Directive 2014/40/EC ('outer packaging'), of filter tobacco products with a surface area of 10 cm2 or more, and filter packets placed on the market for use in combination with tobacco products with a surface area of 10 cm2 or more shall bear the following printed marking
- The marking on the unit packet and outer packaging of filter packets and filter packets placed on the market for use with tobacco products placed on the market before 4 July 2022 may be affixed by means of stickers.
Annex IV: Harmonised specifications for the marking of beverage glasses
Main developments in CE Marking of Beverage Cups:
- Beverage cups made partly of plastic shall bear the following printed marking
- The marking of beverage cups made partly of plastic that have been placed on the market before 4 July 2022 may be affixed by means of stickers.
Explanatory noteIt should be noted that for this last type of single-use plastic articles, Beverage Cups, 3 different formats of the same symbol are used, depending on whether it is a CE Marking, a Printed CE Marking or an Engraved / Embossed CE Marking.
Do you need advice on labelling and instructions for Compresses, Tampons and Wet Wipes? Ask us!
At GTF we are specialists in the regulation of Hygiene Products, Cosmetics and Medical Devices. We offer advisory and consultancy services for companies that operate in the health sector and require technical services in the following fields regulatory affairs. Do not hesitate to contact our office if you have any questions about how the publication of the Regulation 2020/2151 on CE Marking of Single-Use Plastics affects you.
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