In its plenary meeting held from 29 February to 10 March, the Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC) agreed to support the proposal of the UK to restrict the placing on the market of siloxane substances D4 and D5. The restriction is targeted at the use of D4 and D5 in personal care products that are intended to be used or disposed with water.
Cyclotetrasiloxane (D4) and Cyclopentasiloxane (D5) are high tonnage substances in Europe and have direct uses in personal care products, cosmetics, cleaning products and a wide range of other uses. D4 is a persistent, bio-accumulative and toxic (PBT) substance and D5 is a very persistent, very bio-accumulative (vPvB) substance as agreed by the Member State Committee. Due to these properties, they have a potential to accumulate in the environment and cause effects that are unpredictable in the long-term and are difficult to reverse.
The restriction is targeted at the use of D4 and D5 in personal care products that are intended to be used or disposed with water, e.g. shower gels, shaving foams and shampoos. These uses are a major source of these substances to the aquatic environment in the EU.
The committee also adopted eight opinions on harmonised classification and labelling, including Salicylic acid, Isoeugenol, Methylisothiazolinone (MIT), and the mixture MCIT/MIT.
The Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC) prepares the opinions of ECHA related to the risks of substances to human health and the environment in the following REACH and CLP processes. The final decisions are taken by the European Commission.
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