Our Services
- Home
- Our Services
- UV Resource Guide
- About Ultraviolet Radiation
- Australian sunscreen standard
- Introduction
- Personal Radiation Monitoring Service
- Equipment Calibration and Testing
- Radioanalytical Services
- Radiopharmaceutical QA
- UV Protection Factor (UPF) Testing
- UV Index Data
- UV Resource Guide
- Megavoltage Photon TLD Audit Service
- High Energy Radiation Beams (LINAC)
- Radiation Safety Advice and Risk Evaluation
- ELF Magnetic Field Meter Hire
- Australian Clinical Dosimetry Service
- National Diagnostic Reference Level Survey
- Australian National Radiation Dose Register (ANRDR)
quick links
contact
For more information please get in touch with ARPANSA
- Phone Number+61 3 9433 2211
- Fax Number+61 3 9432 1835
- email ARPANSA
Australian sunscreen standard
About UVR Index Page | Previous | Next
Australian sunscreen standard
Australia first published a standard for sunscreen products in 1983. The current joint Australian and New Zealand standard is AS/NZS 2604:1998 'Sunscreen Products Evaluation and Classification'. A major change in the current edition was the lifting of the maximum SPF that may be claimed on a product label from 15+ to 30+. This means that SPF 30+ is the highest rating that can be used for labelling sunscreen products in Australia. Other changes relate to category descriptions and an explanation of the sun protection factor (SPF) rating system.
The following table shows the major changes from the previous standard:
| Current categories | Previous categories | SPF range |
| Low protection | Moderate protection | 4 to 8 |
| Moderate protection | High protection | 8 to 15 |
| High protection | Very high protection | 15 to 30 |
| Very high protection | n/a | 30+ |
Currently the Australian standard requires the labelling of the container to show the sun protection factor with a numerical value not greater than 30+ and clear/adequate directions for the use of the product. The name of all active ingredients must also be stated on the container including its broad spectrum and water resistance properties. The existing requirements for labelling of sunscreen products require the expiry date and storage conditions based on stability data to be shown on the container. The expiry date for sunscreens is usually one to two years but varies among manufacturers depending on the chemical constituents used.
About UVR Index Page | Previous | Next
Top of Page