Allowed Detergents: List

Compliance with sanitary and epidemiological standards in institutions involved in the production and sale of food is an essential task, especially for children's organizations. The issues of control over the implementation of hygiene rules in Russia are dealt with by the Sanitary and Epidemiological Service. It is she who sets the requirements for the room, temperature, observance of the daily regimen and other organizational aspects of the work of the preschool educational institutions and schools. Despite all the stringent hygiene requirements of production facilities and food organizations, to date, there is no clear list defining which detergents are allowed for use in these institutions.

Normative acts

The fact is that modern market economy problems are involved here: while the USSR issued a limited name of cleaning and disinfection products, today dozens of new brands appear every year, which is very difficult to track and verify. Therefore, the main document regulating relations in this area establishes only the basic requirements for detergents used in child care facilities. This is Federal Law No. 52 of March 30, 1999 on Sanitary and Epidemiological Well-Being of the Population.

The law contains general provisions on permitted and prohibited chemicals intended for household use; there is no specific list of permitted detergents. Detailed information can be found in additional requirements and letters of SanPiN, regional decrees of local authorities. So, special attention should be paid to the resolution of SanPiN 3.5.1378-03 "Sanitary and epidemiological requirements for the organization and implementation of disinfection activities", which contains instructions for studying the spectrum of action of a substance.

An approximate list of permitted detergents on the territory of the Russian Federation can be found in the letter of Rospotrebnadzor dated 01.25.2006 No. 0100 / 626-06-32 “On disinfectants”.

Scope of application of sanitary standards

The lack of clear requirements for detergents is a rather serious problem in Russian society, with every year a growing percentage of people who have received poisoning with chemical substances to varying degrees of severity. Therefore, the SES establishes strict requirements and regularly conducts inspections in organizations involved in the production or sale of food products.

All kinds of production workshops that produce any food, cafes, restaurants, canteens, preschools and schools fall into this category. All of these organizations are legally required to use only authorized detergents, in which the proportion of harmful chemicals is minimal. For the implementation of sanitary and epidemiological standards and regulations, management bears administrative, and in some cases criminal responsibility.

Definition

Before you figure out what detergents are allowed in kindergarten, you need to understand what is included in this concept and by what criteria it is customary to distinguish between similar products. The official definition says that a detergent is one of the household chemical products designed to clean a contaminated surface. Its most important component is a surfactant, it can consist of various chemical compounds, some of which are very dangerous to human health.

A negative effect on the body is not immediately noticed, such substances can accumulate in organs before they manifest themselves.Therefore, much attention is paid to the composition of modern detergents: softeners, oxidizing agents, preservatives, chlorine, ammonia and more can be present there. Modern ecologists even consider these products as one of the most serious sources of environmental pollution. Therefore, now many institutions, one way or another connected with the production or consumption of food, increasingly prefer simpler detergents for washing dishes, containers or boilers, such as soap, soda ash and other alkaline products.

Hygiene requirements for detergents

Requests for the composition and percentage of chemicals in a particular household product will vary depending on the nature of its use. Means for washing dishes and disinfecting the premises perform different functions, therefore the requirements will differ.

As noted above, an exact list of permitted detergents does not exist, and when choosing a detergent, employees of institutions or authorized persons must follow certain recommendations:

• The product should contribute to the easy wettability of the surface, have a high washing ability and, if possible, soften the water.
• It should not cause allergic reactions in humans or damage equipment (i.e. cause rust).
• The permitted detergent should perfectly cope with any kind of contamination, completely wash it off the surface of the dishes, including acidic contaminants.
• They can consist of homogeneous chemicals or a mixture of several.

All these provisions are only advisory in nature, not specifically naming. Therefore, many institutions still use the 1979 regulatory document, called the “List of detergents and disinfectants approved for the processing of equipment, containers, implements and utensils intended for contact with food,” when calculating disinfectants. All materials and proportions, as well as their scope, are detailed here.

Disinfectant Requirements

The main purpose of using disinfectants is to disinfect a surface. Usually these are very strong chemical compounds, the use of which also has certain limitations.

According to the general sanitary rules, the following requirements are imposed on permitted detergents in a preschool educational institution:

• Substances should have bactericidal, fungicidal and sporicidal properties, that is, destroy pathogenic bacteria, and not just stop the growth of their population; a lot depends on the technology of preparation of the solution and the rules of dosing.
• Allowed detergents and disinfectants must pass state registration in accordance with the requirements of the State Sanitary and Epidemiological Surveillance.
• The use of chemicals in food enterprises is permissible only on the basis of an authorization license issued by the licensing authority, and in accordance with the clear instructions of SanPiN.
• Be sure to have a label containing all the information about the chemical product: composition, manufacturer, methods of use, license, etc.

Disinfectants are classified as highly hazardous substances, therefore, in child care facilities all measures must be taken to prevent accidents. A separate item will consider the requirements for the organization of storage of detergents and disinfectants.

Where can I find a list of approved detergents?

As already mentioned, a single list does not exist. In educational institutions, there is already a tradition of issuing internal orders that determine the list of detergents permitted by Rospotrebnadzor and recommended for use in this organization.It is developed by an official together with a medical professional based on existing recommendations of SanPiN and other supervisory authorities. Based on this list, contracts are concluded with suppliers.

The most useful document in this area can be considered the letter No. 0100 / 626-06-32 of January 25, 2006 "Lists of some of the virucidal disinfectants registered in the Russian Federation." More or less exhaustive information on permitted detergents is given here.

The document indicates domestic and foreign products, grouped by the nature of the chemical composition: chlorine-containing, acid-containing, products based on cationic surfactants and compounds, as well as guanidine-containing.

List of prohibited detergents

Ordinary consumers very often become hostages of advertisements and buy the products to which we are accustomed, forced to believe in the manufacturer's word about the safety of a particular product. At food enterprises and in children's institutions, this approach is unacceptable, it is necessary to know or develop a list of permitted detergents, as well as to be aware of those substances that are extremely dangerous to humans and in some cases are completely prohibited.

Here are just a few of the most dangerous:

• phosphates;
• phthalates;
• sodium lauryl sulfate;
• propylene glycol;
• fluoride;
• triclosan and others.

Detergents containing these substances can be dangerous for children who are prone to allergies, and if the content is exceeded, even cause poisoning in healthy people. Household chemicals containing such elements are highly not recommended for use in food production or in children's institutions.

General requirements for purchased products

A large share of household chemicals on the Russian market is produced by foreign companies in the Russian Federation or abroad, and the share of domestic products is not so large. Therefore, for foreign goods there are a number of mandatory hygiene requirements. Only after observing all the norms do they acquire the status of detergents approved by Rospotrebnadzor suitable for use in Russia.

The list of requirements for imported products includes the following items:

• Regardless of the production technology adopted in the producing country, when sold on the territory of the Russian Federation, detergents must comply with our sanitary standards.
• If the product is imported into the country for the first time, it must undergo a hygienic examination; for the following arrivals, supervisors should verify compliance with safety requirements and sanitary rules.
• The documents accompanying the cargo must indicate all indicators and hygiene standards.
• Private firms and government agencies supplying or selling household chemicals are required to obtain a certificate of importation into the Russian Federation; for this, it is necessary to contact the Department of State Sanitary and Epidemiological Supervision or one of the regional centers of this department.

If the examination reveals a mismatch with the requirements for detergents permitted in the children's institutions of our country, the import of products into the country will be prohibited.

Detergent Storage Requirement

For employees of children's institutions, there is an instruction on the rules for using chemicals when washing dishes, disinfecting rooms or cleaning floors. And SanPiNom has developed clear rules for the operation and storage of permitted detergents and disinfectants. When leaving the institution, supervisory authorities verify compliance with these requirements first of all, for a negligent attitude of employees to their duties, a fine or a disciplinary reprimand may be imposed.

Unfortunately, cases when children gain access to chemicals are not uncommon; this happens not only in preschool educational institutions, but also at home. Therefore, adults need to consider and organize the proper storage of equipment for cleaning the premises, washing and disinfectants:

1. All solutions should be out of the reach of children, preferably locked up.
2. Bottles, jars and other containers with household chemicals should have labels with the date of manufacture, detailed composition and full name.
3. All detergents and disinfectants should have instructions, and it is best to place them in an accessible place for everyone: on the wall next to the wash basin or in the toilet.
4. Tanks must have a lid and close tightly.
5. The prepared solution must be used immediately and not left the next day.

Today, SES inspectors are very strict about the implementation of these rules, and if violations are discovered, a fine is levied to the employee who committed the oversight, as well as to the head of the institution for the insufficient organization of the work process.

Terms of use

The use of detergents permitted in a school or kindergarten requires certain knowledge from the food department staff on how to use them. In each group (kitchen, dining room) in a prominent place there should be a table of the main detergents and disinfectants with an indication of the methods of dilution of substances and the degree of dosing.

It is important to understand that ordinary wet cleaning does not kill germs, but only refreshes the atmosphere of the room. So it is necessary to carry out measures to disinfect the premises using a special disinfectant and at the time that is prescribed in the requirements of SanPiN. Some detergents can be simultaneously used both for cleaning the premises and for disinfection, the label should indicate this.