The Aerosol Dispensers Regulations 2009

PART 1 GENERAL

Citation and Commencement

1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Aerosol Dispensers Regulations 2009 and shall come into force on 29th April 2010.

Interpretation

2.—(1) In these Regulations—

“aerosol dispenser” means any non-reusable container made of metal, glass or plastic and containing a gas compressed, liquefied or dissolved under pressure, with or without a liquid, paste or powder, and fitted with a release device allowing the contents to be ejected as solid or liquid particles in suspension in a gas, as a foam, paste or powder or in a liquid state;

“compliance mark” means the symbol “3” (reversed epsilon);

“Directive” means Council Directive 75/324/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to aerosol dispensers(1);

“relevant aerosol dispenser” means an aerosol dispenser which does not fall within the exception in Article 1 of the Directive.

(2) The reference in regulation 3(7)(c)(ii) and (iii) to the test method specified in point 6.1.4.1(b) and (c) of the Annex to the Directive is a reference to—

(a) a test method approved under point 6.1.4.3(a) of that Annex, when these Regulations are made unless paragraph (3) applies and where in relation to that test method the other conditions in point 6.1.4.3 are satisfied; or

(b) such other test method which has been approved in writing by the Secretary of State for the purposes of these Regulations and where in relation to that test method the conditions in point 6.1.4.3 are satisfied.

(3) This paragraph applies where the Secretary of State has specified in writing that a test method which is approved under point 6.1.4.3(a) of the Annex to the Directive when these Regulations are made, is not approved for the purposes of these Regulations.

Requirements for the marking of aerosol dispensers

3.—(1) Paragraphs (2) to (8) set out the requirements which must be complied with under regulation 5 in order to mark an aerosol dispenser with a compliance mark.

(2) The aerosol dispenser is a relevant aerosol dispenser.

(3) The person responsible for the marketing of the aerosol dispenser has complied with the obligations set out after the heading to point 2 (general provisions) and immediately before point 2.1 of the Annex to the Directive.

(4) The aerosol dispenser complies with the general provisions relating to construction set out in point 2.1 of the Annex to the Directive.

(5) The aerosol dispenser complies with the provision relating to the volume of the liquid phase set out in point 2.4 of the Annex to the Directive.

(6) The aerosol dispenser complies with the special provisions set out in points 3, 4 and 5 of the Annex to the Directive in the case of metal, glass and plastic dispensers respectively.

(7) The aerosol dispenser—

(a) meets the test specified in point 6.1.1 of the Annex to the Directive in the case of empty containers;

(b) meets the tests specified in point 6.1.2 and 6.1.3 in the case of empty metal and protected glass dispensers respectively; and

(c) satisfies one of the following subparagraphs—

(i) it meets the test method specified in point 6.1.4.1(a) and the dispenser is not of a type referred to in point 6.1.4.2;

(ii) it meets the test method specified in point 6.1.4.1(b) and the dispenser is not of a type referred to in point 6.1.4.2;

(iii) it meets the test method specified in point 6.1.4.1(c).

(8) Unless paragraph (9) applies, the aerosol dispenser is marked in characters which are visible, legible, indelible and (unless it is unlikely that the dispenser will be used in the United Kingdom) in the English language, with—

(a) the information required by Article 8.1(a), (c), and (d) and Article 8.1a of the Directive;

(b) the net contents by volume expressed in metric units; and

(c) if the person responsible for marketing the dispenser sees fit, the net contents by weight expressed in metric units.

(9) This paragraph applies where—

(a) the capacity of the dispenser does not exceed 150ml;

(b) the dispenser is too small to be marked with the information referred to in paragraph (8); and

(c) that information is marked on a label attached to the dispenser.

PART 2 PROHIBITIONS

Prohibition of sale or supply of unmarked relevant aerosol dispensers

4.  A person shall not supply or have in his possession for supply a relevant aerosol dispenser which is not marked with a compliance mark.

Prohibition of sale or supply of non-compliant marked aerosol dispensers

5.  A person shall not supply or have in his possession for supply—

(a) an aerosol dispenser which is marked with the compliance mark where all the requirements referred to in regulation 3 relating to that aerosol dispenser are not complied with; or

(b) an aerosol dispenser which is marked with a mark so closely resembling the compliance mark as to be likely to deceive.

PART 3 SUPPLEMENTARY

Contravention of these Regulations

6.—(1) For the purposes of the Consumer Protection Act 1987 these Regulations, with the exception of regulation 3(8)(b) and (c), are safety regulations made under section 11 of that Act.

(2) Regulation 3(8)(b), which is not made under that Act, shall be treated as if it was a safety regulation made for all purposes under section 11 of that Act.

(3) Notwithstanding section 12(5) of the Consumer Protection Act 1987 any person guilty of an offence under that section of contravening the prohibition in regulation 5(a) by reason only of a failure to comply with regulation 3(8)(b) shall be liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 3 months or both.

Amendments

7.  Subject to regulation 8, the Schedule (which contains revocations and an amendment) shall have effect.

Transitional provision

8.—(1) Regulations 4 and 5(a) do not prohibit the supply of, or possession for supply of, an aerosol dispenser which, before 29th April 2010, was marked with the reversed epsilon marking in accordance with the provisions of the Aerosol Dispensers (EEC Requirements) Regulations 1977(2).

(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply after 28th October 2010.

Kevin Brennan

Minister for Further Education, Skills, Apprenticeships and Consumer Affairs

Department for Business, Innovation & Skills

21st October 2009