EU member states issue safety alerts for potentially dangerous cosmetics products

04 Oct 2022 --- Lithuania, Romania, Sweden and the Czech Republic have announced safety regulation updates to dangerous consumer products via the European Rapid Alert System (ERAS). The Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association (CTPA) is rounding up recent EU Safety Gate notifications to highlight updates issued by member states.

Romania has withdrawn false nail glue containing dibutyl phthalate (DBP), a plasticizer, as it does not comply with the EU Cosmetics Products Regulation.

Additionally, Sweden rejected perfumes containing hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde, a synthetic fragrance, that poses a chemical risk. The country also withdrew hair dyes with p-phenylenediamine (PPD) which causes skin sensitization, cancer, mutagenicity and organ system toxcity, according to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.  

Sweden ordered soap and skin creams containing mercury to be removed from the market.

Banned fragrant allergen
Chemical risks in products containing butylphenyl methylpropional (BMHCA), a fragrant allergen, have been withdrawn from the market. 

In Lithuania, personal care products such as hair lotion, shower gel, shaving gel, perfume and after-shave balm with BMHCA came under the scanner. At the same time, Sweden rejected perfumes containing the chemical and the Czech Republic withdrew eau de toilette and perfumes containing the BMHCA.

Lithuania, Romania, Sweden and the Czech Republic have announced safety regulation updates to dangerous cosmetic products via the ERAS.The chemical has been banned in the EU and the UK since March this year and has been classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic or reprotoxic due to the potential for reprotoxicity when products containing BMHCA are applied on top of each other, according to Lush Cosmetics.  

Last month, the EC listed 56 ingredients to be added to Regulation 1223/2009, summing-up more than 80 fragrances, individually required to be declared as allergens “if their concentration exceeds 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.” 

Safety Gate explained
The EU Safety Gate system is used for market surveillance of non-food dangerous products via ERAS, including those that present a risk to the health and safety of consumers.

EC describes it as an enabler of information circulation quickly among national authorities responsible for product safety in the Single Market countries.

“Each alert contains information on the kind of product detected as dangerous, a description of the risk and the measures taken by the economic operator or ordered by the authority. Every alert is followed-up by the other authorities, which take measures if they find the same product in their national markets.”

Other recent updates in personal care
In related news, CTPA shared certain cosmetics that were “unsafe and noncompliant” and were withdrawn from Germany, Italy, UK, Lithuania, Austria, Czech Republic and Sweden. 

Moreover, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) banned three cosmetic products manufactured in India, South Korea and the UK as they may be detrimental to consumer health. The recall was implemented as the products do not adhere to the safety regulations issued by the ERAS.

Recently, the EC opened a consultation on a draft Delegated Regulation on the new hazardous chemical classes and criteria to be added to the Classification, Labelling and Packaging 1272/2008 regulation – aiming to ensure “a high level of protection of human health and the environment, and the free movement of substances, mixtures and certain articles.”

The EC also made additions and amendments to its existing regulations by increasing its restrictions on cosmetic substances classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic or reprotoxic (CMR). 

Edited by Radhika Sikaria

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