For Industry
Clothes dryers, 2024 Determination
The information below relates solely to the Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards (Rotary Clothes Dryers) Determination 2024 that commences on 4 October 2025.
You can register models to this determination from 4 October 2024.
Overview
Clothes dryers are a great convenience, reducing the time it takes to complete a laundry cycle. However, they also consume a significant amount of energy, adding to household energy bills and emissions. The Energy Rating Label helps consumers choose more energy-efficient models, reducing costs and carbon footprint.
At a Glance
To fully understand legislative requirements, registrants are encouraged to review the recently updated determination and its Explanatory Statement. They can be accessed from the Federal Registration of Legislation using the link in the table below.
| Determination | Minimum Energy Performance Standards | Energy Rating Label |
|---|---|---|
| Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards (Rotary Clothes Dryers) Determination 2024 | Yes | Yes |
The determination:
- updates the testing and labelling requirements
- introduces new Australian and New Zealand standards.
Suppliers can continue to sell existing registered models. These requirements take effect when a model needs to be registered for sale in Australia.
Legislation
In Australia, this product is regulated under the Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards Act 2012.
In New Zealand, the relevant legislation is the Energy Efficiency (Energy Using Products) Regulations 2002. New Zealand has different requirements to Australia. Visit Clothes Dryers on the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority website for more information.
What products are covered?
Products covered by the determination include electric household rotary clothes dryers, irrespective of the context in which they are used. This includes:
- condenser and vented dryers
- heat pump condenser dryers
- an electric washer dryer combo appliance (which includes both washing and clothes drying functions that operates by the same methods as the above condenser or vented rotary clothes dryer).
Refer to section 6 of the determination for more details.
Technical requirements
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Standards
Standards that are referenced in the new determination include:
- AS/NZS 2442.1:2021 Performance of household electrical appliances - Rotary clothes dryers, Part 1: Methods for measuring performance, energy and water consumption
- AS/NZS 2442.2:2021 Performance of household electrical appliances - Rotary clothes dryers, Part 2: Energy efficiency labelling requirements
The version of the standards that apply are the versions, including amendments, that existed when the determination was made on 10 September 2024.
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Minimum Standards
The determination references Minimum Energy Performance Standards in Section 4.4 of AS/NZS 2442.1:2021.
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Testing your product
Testing your model is simple, but make sure you match the test report with the registration application you make.
The model must be tested in accordance with:
- the requirements specified in section 2 of AS/NZS 2442.2:2021
- the requirements mentioned in sections 2 and 4 of AS/NZS 2442.1:2021.
The determination and standards incorporate several changes to how the performance of clothes dryers are tested, including:
- expanding the definition of heating methods to include electric resistance elements, heat pumps and radio frequency devices
- modifying the test method to include the cool-down period up to the point of the program termination, which more closely aligns with international standards
- expanding the testing program to allow for loads up to 20kg
- specifying that the test voltage is 230V.
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Other
Clothes dryers must meet the performance requirements mentioned in Section 3.2 of AS/NZS 2442.2:2021 (Drying Clothes in a Single Operation) and Section 3.3 of AS/NZS 2442.2:2021(Maximum Fabric Temperature).
Labelling requirements
The determination incorporates information on the Energy Rating Label and how the label is displayed.
Program Time
Energy Rating Labels for clothes dryers must include ‘Program Time’, which is the time the product requires to complete the specified program used to measure its energy performance.
Displaying the Label
Products on display must include a label on the packaging, or if it is displayed outside the packaging, it should be applied on the model.
In each case, the Energy Rating Label must be clearly visible either printed on, adhered to, or be part of the packaging. If adhered to the packaging, then it can be attached by a double-sided swing tag or non-rotating single sided swing tag.
Need more help?
More information about the labelling requirements can be found in the Australian Standard, Performance of household electrical appliances - Rotary clothes dryers, Part 2: Energy efficiency labelling requirements – AS/NZS 2442.2:2021.
See Labelling for general labelling information and resources.