A.I.S.E. Product Stewardship Programme on Indoor Air Emissions from Air Fresheners (2016)

On April 1, 2016 A.I.S.E. launched the A.I.S.E. Product Stewardship Programme on Indoor Air Emissions from Air Fresheners, commonly referred to as "PSP 2016”.  This voluntary initiative promotes best practices which go beyond the legal requirements that regulate our industry. 

Thanks to the voluntary commitment to responsible manufacturing, communication and use of air fresheners, companies committing to this stewardship programme enable consumers to make the most informed choices when buying and using air fresheners. This second PSP builds on the success of the previous programme which was active from 2007 until 2017. 

What products are covered by the PSP?

The Air Fresheners PSP applies to:

  • Non-combustible air fresheners e.g. sprays – including aerosols, mini and pump-sprays, liquid wicks, gels, potpourris, electrical devices and car fresheners
  • Perfumed and non-perfumed candles

Who can participate?

Any company that manufactures and/or places air fresheners on the market in Europe (EU, plus the UK, Iceland, Norway, Lichtenstein, and Switzerland) can participate in this programme. 

A.I.S.E. welcomes all interested companies. A.I.S.E. membership is not required.

A.I.S.E. has also an open dialogue with the European Candles association (ECMA) to ensure that the programme can be promoted and signed by member companies from the candle industry sector. 

Who has joined the PSP today?

Reckitt, SJ Johnson and P&G are the first three companies to sign A.I.S.E.’s PSP 2016. 

Testimonials from companies who have signed the PSP

  • "The PSP programme has allowed us to develop and shape the regulatory environment of combustible air fresheners”
  • "A global initiative can be more robust than that of one company or one country. Our voice is much stronger as a group when tackling emerging issues”
  • "Releasing chemical substances indoor is a safety issue.
  • The PSP programme allows us to go above and beyond the standard regulatory requirements”
  • "The PSP is a powerful tool for companies to show their commitment to responsible marketing of air care products.  It combines best practices in all relevant areas, including advertising, labelling, safety assessment and education to consumers and goes beyond regulatory requirements.”   

By signing up to the PSP, companies commit to apply a voluntary set of rules and standards to all their products which essentially focus on good safety and communication practices, namely:

Responsible design and manufacturing

The industry goes beyond the regulatory requirements and ensures that exposure value limits provide a firm basis to meet the expectations of consumers, taking global standards into account. Companies must respect standard global limits in emissions of formaldehyde, benzene and naphthalene.

CEN Standards

A.I.S.E. has actively contributed to the initiative to measure emissions from combustible air fresheners within CEN (the European Committee for Standardisation). Working together with the European candle industry since 2010, A.I.S.E. member experts, through their national standardisation bodies, were instrumental in the development of three standards that are now applicable across Europe.

For combustible products, these standards cover:

  • Standardised test methods for the emissions of substances
  • Evaluation and calculation of emissions and exposure test results
  • User safety information provided on labels.

 

Combustible air fresheners in scope of the A.I.S.E. PSP must comply to these European emission standards.

Responsible marketing and communication

  • Clear and legible safety and health advice on labels for consumers
  • No toy or food shaped products
  • No images of children touching the products or pregnant women shown in advertising
  • Information on product composition to be available.

Focus on consumer safety

Clear labels which indicate how to safely use a product enable consumers to make informed choices. The following messages will be communicated on product labels

"People suffering from perfume sensitivity should be
cautious when using this product”
"Air fresheners do not replace good hygiene practices”
or
"Ventilate the room after use”

How is compliance ensured?

The commitment of each participating company is monitored by A.I.S.E. with an annualreport on common key performance indicators, as well as external third-party audits carried out on an annualbasis.

Further details may be read in the following documents

For any questions, please contact Giulia Sebastio, A.I.S.E. Scientific & Technical Affairs Manager, Tel: +32 2 679 62 60 

Important Documents and Information

For any questions, please contact Giulia Sebastio, A.I.S.E. Scientific & Technical Affairs Manager, Tel: +32 2 679 62 60 

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