CouncilEurope

European Agreement on the Restriction of the Use of certain Detergents in Washing and Cleaning Products

(ETS No. 064)

Open for signature by the member States of the Council of Europe which take part in the activities in the field of public health referred to in Resolution (59) 23 mentioned in the Preamble to the Agreement, in Strasbourg, on 16 September 1968.

Entry into force: 16 February 1971.

Summary of the treaty

The Agreement aims to ensure the control of fresh water pollution not only from the standpoint of human needs but also to ensure the protection of nature in general. The Parties undertake to adopt measures, including legislative ones, to ensure that washing or cleaning products containing one or more synthetic detergents are not put on the market unless the detergents in the product considered are, as a whole, at least 80% susceptible to biological degradation.