On 14 April 2021, ECHA announced that it is recommending that the European Commission add three cyclosiloxanes, D4, D5 and D6, to the REACH Authorisation List. Once the substances are on this list, companies must apply for authorisation to continue using them. D4 (Cyclotetrasiloxane) is already banned in cosmetics, but this is not the case for D5 (Cyclopentasiloxane) and D6 (Cyclohexasiloxane).
“D4, D5, and D6 are considered harmful to the environment and human health,” the European Chemicals Agency explains. “ECHA prioritised these chemicals from the Candidate List because they are hazardous, produced in high volumes and widely used.”
Some uses of the cyclosiloxanes are already restricted or in the process of being restricted in consumer products and in most professional uses under REACH. The cyclosiloxanes have been prioritised for inclusion in the Authorisation List as some of their uses, for example, industrial production of electronics and some professional uses such as dry cleaning in closed systems, are not covered by the restriction activities.
As regards cosmetic products, these three silicones are already affected by bans or restrictions.
• D4 (INCI: Cyclotetrasiloxane)
Prohibited from use by the CMR Omnibus Regulation n°2019/831, and added in Annex II (prohibited substances) to the Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009 (entry 1388).
• D5 (INCI: Cyclopentasiloxane)
Limited in rinse-off cosmetic products to a concentration equal to or less than 0.1% by weight since 31 January 2020 by REACH Regulation 1907/2006 (Annex XVII/70). This limitation could soon be extended to leave-on cosmetics.
• D6 (INCI: Cyclohexasiloxane)
Currently not regulated, but may soon be subject to the same limitations as for …
