HIGGINS CHALLENGES COMMISSION TO ADEQUATELY REGULATE CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTORS

Following considerable pressure from MEP Higgins Commissioner Dalli has confirmed that the Commission will raise the issue of the EU standard for Carbon Monoxide detectors at the next General Product Safety Directive (GPSD) Committee meetings (provisional date is the 24/25th of May 2012). Fine Gael's Jim Higgins raised the issue with the Commissioner saying that he was "deeply worried by the lack of an adequte EU standard.  The EU standard EN 50291 does not ensure the safety of carbon monoxide detectors.  In 2009 (the most recent available figures) there were 360 faulty detectors imported, sold & unsuccessfully recalled in Ireland."

"I am on the record as encouraging people to purchase carbon monoxide detectors and I definitely do, but the EU needs to do its part in order to ensure that the detectors actually work!"

"The current EU standard fails to require an end of life indicator or third party certification, such as a BSI KITE MARK.  The average carbon monoxide detector lasts for 7 years so an end of life indicator is a must."

"Last August we introduced Irish standards for carbon monoxide detectors (SWIFT 8) which go beyond the EU requirement: requiring both an end-of-life indicators & third party certification.  However if we are to remain in line with EU competition rules we must ensure that the Irish standards are adopted at EU level - at present imported products are not subject to our regulation and the effectiveness of the SWIFT 8 is jeopardised as it can merely encourage imported products to meet our standards." 

ENDS

Contact:

Aoife Kearney + 32 22 8 37843