Professional detergent regulations

Main regulatory framework

Professional detergents in the EU are governed by Regulation (EC) 648/2004 and its amendments. This framework sets biodegradability criteria for surfactants, restrictions on certain substances, labelling requirements and user-information obligations.

Key aspects of the regulation

• Ultimate aerobic biodegradability of surfactants ≥ 60%
• Labelling must show composition, preservatives and allergenic fragrances
• Phosphate restrictions apply to consumer laundry detergents (not professional)

New regulation: Regulation (EU) 2026/405 on detergents and surfactants (OJ L of 2 March 2026) repeals Regulation 648/2004 with effect from 23 September 2029, the date from which it applies (except Article 4(3) and (4)). Among other changes, it introduces the digital product passport and the option of digital labelling. Products placed on the market before that date in accordance with Regulation 648/2004 may continue to be sold.

Other applicable regulations

• CLP Regulation (EC) 1272/2008 · classification, labelling and packaging; notification of hazardous mixtures to poison centres (PCN, UFI code)
• REACH (EC) 1907/2006 · registration and restriction of chemical substances; safety data sheet (Article 31)
• Regulation 528/2012 · biocidal products (disinfectants)
• Directive 2012/18/EU · Seveso III (bulk storage)

What it means in practice for your laundry

Regulation (EC) 648/2004 is aimed mainly at whoever manufactures or places the detergent on the market: it is the manufacturer who formulates, tests and labels it. The owner of a self-service laundry has a different part of the job: buying compliant products, using them as their label says and keeping the documentation to hand.

• ✓Check that every container carries a legible label in the official language of the country, with the product name, the manufacturer's details, dosing instructions and, where applicable, the CLP pictograms.
• ✓Ask for the technical data sheet and the safety data sheet of every product you use.
• ✓Be wary of unlabelled products or products decanted into generic jerrycans: you cannot prove what they contain.
• ✓Keep the documentation somewhere easy to reach for your staff and for whoever services the machines.

Professional versus household detergent

Some laundries fill their dosing systems with supermarket detergent. Apart from the consumption problem, a household product is labelled and designed for manual use at home, not for dosing with peristaltic pumps or for the workload of a laundry. With a professional detergent you get a technical data sheet giving the dose per kilo of dry laundry, an SDS for your risk assessment and a manufacturer that answers for the formulation and the labelling.

What changes with the new regulation

Regulation (EU) 2026/405 does not require you to change anything in your premises today. Its obligations fall mainly on manufacturers and distributors, who will be the ones to introduce the digital product passport and, where relevant, digital labelling. For you, the practical step is to keep asking your supplier for the documentation and to get used to checking product information in digital form as well once the new rules apply.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I see what a detergent contains?

The label lists the main components by concentration range, as well as preservatives and allergenic fragrances. The SDS details the hazardous substances in its composition section. If you need more information for a customer with special requirements, ask the manufacturer.

Does an EU Ecolabel detergent comply with "more" regulations?

The EU Ecolabel is voluntary and comes on top of mandatory compliance with 648/2004 and CLP; it does not replace it. Instaquim holds 4 EU Ecolabel licences, including the one for Eco Wash, a detergent formulated for self-service laundries.

What if I make or pack my own detergent under my own brand?

Then you take on the obligations of a manufacturer or supplier: labelling, SDS and notifications. If you want your own brand without taking on the formulation, Instaquim offers private label and custom formulation from its own plant and laboratory.