EU’s SCCS Notifies WTO of Final Opinions on Several CMRs

Last Updated on June 4, 2021 by Ithos Global Regulatory Team

The European Commission’s Scientific Committee On Consumer Safety notified the World Trade Organization (WTO) of updated opinions on substances that are classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic, or toxic for reproduction, or “CMRs”.

The commission’s final opinions are:

• Resorcinol:
  • Use of resorcinol is safe when used as an oxidative hair dye in products intended for hair and eyelashes up to 1.25 % and up to 0.5 % in hair lotions and shampoos.  
• Benzophenone-3 (BP-3):
  • Use of BP-3 as a UV-filter up to a maximum concentration of 6% in sunscreen products, either in the form of body cream, sunscreen propellant spray or pump spray, is not safe for the consumer.
  • Use of BP-3 as a UV-filter up to a maximum concentration of 6% in face cream, hand cream, and lipsticks is safe for the consumer. 
  • Use of BP-3 up to 0.5% in cosmetic products to protect the cosmetic formulation is safe for the consumer.
  • Use of BP-3 as a UV filter is safe for the consumer up to a maximum concentration of 2.2% in sunscreen body creams, propellant sprays, and pump sprays, provided that there is no additional use of BP-3 at 0.5% in the same formulation for protecting the cosmetic formulation.
    • Where BP-3 is also used at 0.5% in the same formulation, the levels of BP-3 used as UV filter should not exceed 1.7% in body creams, in propellant sprays and in pump sprays.
• Octocrylene:
  • Use of octocrylene is safe as a UV-filter at concentrations up to 10% in cosmetic products when used individually.
  • Use of octocrylene is also considered safe for a combined use of sunscreen cream/lotion, sunscreen pump spray, face cream, hand cream and lipstick at a concentration up to 10%. 
  • Use of octocrylene at 10% or above in sunscreen propellant spray is not considered safe for the combined use. As a reminder octocrylene was under review for endocrine disrupting properties.
• Propylparaben:
  • Use propylparaben is safe when used as a preservative in cosmetic products up to a maximum concentration of 0.14 %. Propylparaben was under review for endocrine disrupting properties.
• Aluminium Compounds:
  • Use of aluminium compounds is safe at the following equivalent aluminium concentrations up to:
    • 6.25% in non-spray deodorants or non-spray antiperspirants
    • 10.60% in spray deodorants or spray antiperspirants
    • 2.65% in toothpaste
    • 14% in lipstick