Product safety

The safety of products is of key importance to the nonwovens and related industry. Below are some of the initiatives to develop and bring safe products to the consumer.

Safety of absorbent hygiene products

Absorbent hygiene products  (AHP) comprise feminine hygiene products (sanitary napkins, panty liners and tampons), baby diapers and incontinence care products. They have a history of more than 50 years of safe use worldwide.

Millions of products are used safely each day and absorbent hygiene products manufacturers ensure that all products comply with local legislation and are safe for their intended and foreseeable uses. Absorbent hygiene products and their raw materials are produced from natural and/or synthetic polymers. Raw materials are selected according to strict quality criteria. Before being released onto the market, the composition and safety of all raw materials are reviewed taking into account potential toxicity to the consumer and the environment.

During manufacture, strict quality control systems are in use to ensure product quality and hygiene. Manufacturers of absorbent hygiene products apply good manufacturing practices and high safety and environmental standards.  EDANA members carry out post-marketing surveillance of their products in which they actively respond to consumer comments to ensure continuously the quality and safety of their products.

The industry takes its duty of care to ensure product safety very seriously. EDANA and its member companies, established a task force in 2017 to work on the identification of trace impurities, alignment on suitable test methods, and the development of safe and acceptable threshold limits in finished products. This task force led to the creation of the EDANA Stewardship Program. 

Read more on Manufacturers’ association reasserts safety of products

The industry developed the following documents to contribute to delivering better and safer products: