Legal Metrology

FEA particularly monitors and addresses the following legislation and policies:

– Prepackaging Directive 76/211/EEC
– Nominal Quantities Directive 2007/45/EC

FEA favours a mandatory labelling of the nominal quantities in volume (ml), which has been an established rule since 1980. In addition, manufacturers may also label the nominal quantities in weight (g). The nominal total capacity of the aerosol container must also be indicated on the label, without creating confusion with the nominal volume.

Initial provisions were made official in Prescribed Ranges Directive 80/232/EEC, a directive which has been repealed and replaced by the Nominal Quantities Directive 2007/45/EC.

The lower case letter ‘e’ placed in the same field of vision as the indication of the nominal volume, constitutes a guarantee by the packer or the importer that the aerosol product (which is a prepackaged product) meets the requirements of the Prepackaging Directive 76/211/EEC.

Following the repeal of the Prescribed Ranges Directive 80/232/EEC, FEA developed Standard FEA 422 “Filled aerosol packs – Standard fill levels” which represents the ideal method in order to avoid deceptive aerosols. This means that aerosols are filled in such a manner that they do not appear to contain a larger quantity than is actually the case.

Standard FEA 422 has been endorsed by the WG6 ‘Prepackages’ of WELMEC, the European Cooperation in Legal Metrology.