Twelve nanomaterials to be banned in cosmetics at European level
Following health concerns raised by the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS), the European Commission is set to ban the use of five groups of twelve nanomaterials in cosmetics in total:
- styrene acrylate copolymer, sodium styrene acrylate copolymer,
- copper, colloidal copper,
- hydroxyapatite,
- gold, colloidal gold, gold thioethylaminohyaluronic acid, colloidal gold acetylheptapeptide-9,
- platinum, colloidal platinum and colloidal platinum acetyltetrapeptide-17.
The draft regulations have been published and are open for comments until April 12. It amends Annex II of the Cosmetics Regulation (which lists the substances prohibited in cosmetic products) to add these twelve nanomaterials in order to protect human health.
The text provides for a “reasonable period of time” to be granted to manufacturers to make the necessary adjustments in terms of product formulation and labeling.
Another deadline should be defined for the withdrawal of cosmetics that do not comply with the new requirements and that have been placed on the market before the entry into force of the new requirements.
The length of these periods should be determined taking into account the concerns of the SCCS and the potential risk to human health associated with the specific nanomaterials, as well as the number of cosmetic products involved.
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