AEROSOLS
Industry steps up to help fight COVID-19 According to the AMA, the South African aerosol industry put up its hand immediately as the State President, Minister of Health and the Minister of Trade and Industry began looking for more suppliers of hand sanitisers, ventilators, disinfectants, alcohol, gas and other essential items needed in the fight against COVID-19.
W
ithin 24 hours, 30 companies
According to information included in the
had responded by close of
AMA’s recent bulletin, sanitising products
business on 26 March and went
may fall into various regulatory groups
onto register for CIPC certificates in order
depending on the:
to continue production and ensure safe
• application surface (human skin or
passage for their employees. Even non-members of the Aerosol Manufacturers’ Association (AMA) joined
inanimate surface) • environment the sanitiser is used in (place of use)
hands in the industry’s effort and new
• intended use and function
players identified themselves too.
• composition.
Nick Tselentis, executive director of the
Hand sanitisers are generally regarded
Retail statistics IN MARCH, household cleaning and hygiene and personal care categories showed strong growth. In April, hand sanitisers in all forms took off, while a settling-down period has been evident since early May. Source: AMA the home, public venues (schools and
AMA, says much good can and will come
as rub or leave on products primarily used
restaurants), health institutions, health
out of this.
to sanitise the skin, when soap and water
professional consulting rooms and clinics
are not available. They are also leave-on
are controlled under the ambit of the FCD
and concerned, but this is the bottom of the
products, meaning they are not rinsed off
Act and fall within the mandate of the
bottom. We need to manufacture, trade and
with water.
Directorate: Environmental Health within
“South Africans are inventive, hardworking
sell our incredible services and expertise,
These products are controlled under
the DOH. These products must comply
the ambit of the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics
with the requirements of the ‘compulsory
and Disinfectants Act, 1972 page 2 (Act
specification for chemical disinfectants
Regulatory status update
54 of 1972) (FCD Act) and fall within the
VC8054’ as set out by the NRCS, the Legal
The National Regulator for Compulsory
mandate of the Directorate: Environmental
Metrology Act, 2014 (Act 09 of 2014) as well
Specification (NRCS), South African Health
Health within the Department of Health
as all relevant SANS standards.
Products Regulatory Authority, South
(DOH). They must comply with the South
Africa Bureau of Standards (SABS) and
African National Standard (SANS) 490:2013
alcohol-based sanitisers and the standards
the Department of Trade and Industry
‘disinfectant alcohol-based handrub’, as
that will be applied are currently pending.
jointly issued a notification to assist
well as the Legal Metrology Act, 2014 (Act
These developments are unfolding with
manufacturers during the COVID-19 crisis
09 of 2014), in terms of packaging and
amendments to SANS 490:2013 which are
regarding applicable standards and
labelling and any compulsory standards
about to surface. •
conformity assessments. The notification
issued by the NRCS.
and get back on track,” he comments.
covers hand rubs, soaps and sanitisers (with or without alcohol).
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| JUNE 2020 | P C Review
Disinfectants and germicides used on inanimate surfaces in low-risk areas within
Clarification on who will register low-risk
AMA – www.aerosol.co.za
