The most commonly discussed compound nonoxynol-9 is a spermicide, formulated primarily as a component of vaginal foams and creams.
[3] Consequently, this class of detergents has been effectively restricted for commercial "down-the-drain" applications in Europe, and these compounds are no longer used by U.S. laundry manufacturers.
[4] On January 14, 2016, the European Commission amended existing restriction on nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPE) under the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) legislation, limiting NPE use in industrial and institutional cleaning, domestic cleaning, cosmetics and other applications including spermicides and in use as co-formulants in pesticides (except for pesticides where prior authorization was granted before July 17, 2003 in which effects of the restriction will not occur until date of their expiration) amounts equal to or exceeding 0.1% by weight, and limiting NPE residues on textile articles to 0.01% by weight, effective February 3, 2021.
On 13 August 2008, the Swedish newspaper Göteborg Posten (sv) reported finding high levels of the NPE in Björn Borg underwear.
[7] A 2011 investigation found residual levels of NPE in samples of clothing from 14 brands sold in the U.S., including Adidas, Uniqlo, Calvin Klein, H&M, Abercrombie & Fitch, Lacoste, Converse and Ralph Lauren.