On April 3, 2024, 14 European industry groups including the European Association for Soaps, Detergents and Maintenance Products (AISE), the European Brands Association (AIM), and the Association of Manufacturers and Formulators of Enzyme Products (AMFEP), issued a joint statement on their concerns about a new proposal in the EU's Green Claims Substantiation Directive (GCD). This proposal aims to prohibit green claims on products containing substances with hazardous characteristics, including unavoidable trace impurities and pollutants.
What are green claims?
Previously, the European Parliament passed a proposal in March, which bans false green claims to ensure the authenticity and reliability of green claims in the market and to prevent greenwashing, which exaggerates or makes false claims about the environmental characteristics of a product or service.
Reasons for industry groups' opposition to the ban on green claims for specific substances
The industry groups are concerned that prohibiting green claims for products containing specific hazardous substances could prevent consumers from making sustainable purchases. They emphasize that even if some substances are classified as hazardous, they can still be safely used under appropriate risk management and control. For example, under the CLP regulations, proteases are self-classified as toxic to the aquatic environment and could negatively impact aquatic life. However, due to their biodegradability, they do not persist or accumulate in the environment, thus reducing the risk of environmental damage.
Additionally, the statement also mentioned hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (EEE), such as lead, copper, and silver, primarily found as SVHC traces in electronic components or recycled plastic components. Prohibiting environmental claims for these devices would hinder the communication of other environmental information to consumers, such as improvements in energy efficiency.
The industry groups call on the EU to consider allowing green claims for products containing these substances and suggest implementing a practical green claims directive. CIRS will continue to keep you updated on the latest developments.
