Product safety

Product safety is an important task of consumer protection. It involves questions such as: Can a toy be toxic? Does a skin cream cause allergies? How does the skin react to detergent residues?

In the field of “product safety” BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment assesses the health risks of a large number of different products, for example from the product categories cosmetics and hygiene products, tobacco products or toys.

Whether the different products involve a health risk depends not only on the ingredients but primarily on how the consumer comes into contact with them. Consequently, it is decisive whether the products are firmly integrated into the products or whether they are released. BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment examines not only the substances used, but also their release.

The results of BFR’s risk assessment are integrated into recommendations for manufacturers.

For its risk assessment BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment uses data from different sources, including:

• Generally accessible data
• Data from own experimental research
• Data from BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment contract research at universities and other scientific institutions
• Data from external experts

BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment co-operates with international institutes and proposes measures for risk assessment and prevention to them. It contributes its knowledge, amongst others, to the European Food Safety Authority (External Link:EFSA) or the External Link:Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and closely co-operates with these institutions.

• Food, consumer articles and feed code
• Consumer Goods Ordinance
• Cosmetics ordinance
• German equipment and product safety act
• Act concerning the environmental compatibility of detergents and cleaning agents