Cleaning Agents 2026: “Biodegradable” Only with OECD 301

Frosch, Sodasan, Method — cleaning agent manufacturers like to advertise with “biodegradable”, “bio” and “plant-based”. Without reference to a standard, all of this is liable to be subject to warning letters under EmpCo. The most important standards.

OECD 301 — Test standard for biodegradability: at least 60 % degradation in 28 days under aerobic conditions. Important sub-standards: OECD 301A (DOC Die-Away), OECD 301B (CO₂ Evolution), OECD 301C (MITI), OECD 301D (Closed Bottle), OECD 301E (Modified OECD Screening), OECD 301F (Manometric Respirometry). The exact standard must be stated in marketing claims.

EU Ecolabel — EU official environmental label for cleaning agents with minimum criteria: pollutant limit values, biodegradability of surfactants, packaging requirements, supply chain due diligence. More than 90 % of all organic cleaners should have this label — if not, the “bio” claim is questionable.

Blauer Engel UZ-194 — German environmental label for washing and cleaning agents. Stricter than EU Ecolabel for some criteria. Monitored by UBA (German Environment Agency).

Nordic Swan — Scandinavian environmental label (D/SE/NO/FIN). Comparable to Blauer Engel.

Reformulation examples: ❌ “Biodegradable all-purpose cleaner” → ✓ “All-purpose cleaner with surfactants biodegradable according to OECD 301B (> 80 % in 28 days) — EU Ecolabel certified (Licence DE/039/123)". ❌ “Bio cleaner” → ✓ “Cleaning agent with bio-surfactants (95 % renewable raw materials according to EN 16575), packaging 100 % Post-Consumer-PET recycling”.

What is often done incorrectly: “Bio” statements for cleaning agents without the EU-Bio Regulation (which only applies to food). “100 % biodegradable” is physically impossible for surfactants — even here, the OECD 301 standard requires minimum proportions (60-100 %).

Conclusion: Reference to a standard is mandatory. Own “bio” labels will be subject to a per-se prohibition from 27 September 2026.