The EDANA Stewardship Programme Codex™
The core of the EDANA Stewardship Programme is the voluntary CODEX™ which features include:
- An evolving list of trace chemicals, purposefully chosen by EDANA (including, but not limited to, PAHs, PCBs, dioxins, furans, phthalates, formaldehyde, metals). These are not intentionally used to manufacture absorbent hygiene products (AHPs) but may be present in trace amounts.
- Guidance values for each substance, based on existing related regulations, regulatory guidance, related existing standards or industry experience.
- Standardized consumer relevant test methods to evaluate products for possible traces of substances
Exposure-based risk assessment (EBRA) is currently the proposed method of choice, as a scientifically sound approach using realistic exposure parameters.
Compliance with the CODEX™ is the basis of the EDANA Stewardship Programme, which is a further step in demonstrating that manufacturers increase the already high level of consumer protection by a proper management of trace substances that might be present in AHPs.
It is fundamental for EDANA to provide this information in a transparent manner for the upcoming evidence-based discussions with the respective stakeholders.
The open development of guidance values follows a tiered approach and evolves over time as new scientific data and insights become available or regulatory limits are updated. The guidance values do not affect the requirement to undergo the necessary safety assessments in compliance with the General Product Safety Regulation 2023/988 (EU).
