On April 1st, the European Commission has launched a public consultation on its proposal to make regulations evolve as regards the cosmetic ingredient Methylisothiazolinone. This project aims to prohibit this preservative in hair leave-on products and to limit its concentration in rinse-off cosmetic products. This consultation will remain open until July 1st, 2016.
This consultation concern “any interested parties, including authorities of the Member States, manufacturers of cosmetic products, producers of the substances concerned and relevant industry and consumers associations.”
Background
Methylisothiazolinone (MIT) is currently authorized as a preservative in cosmetics products through Annex V, entry 57, of Regulation (EC) No.1223/2009 (“Cosmetics Regulation”) at a maximum concentration of 0.01% (100 ppm).
However, a measure to ban the use of MIT as a preservative in leave-on cosmetic products is to be adopted in 2016.
The Cosmetics Regulation also authorizes the mixture of Methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCIT) and Methylisothiazolinone (MIT) as a preservative in rinse-off cosmetic products at a maximum concentration of 0.0015% (15 ppm) in a ratio 3:1 of the two substances (since 16 July 2015).
The first opinion related to MIT was adopted by the Scientific Committee on Cosmetic Products and Non-Food Products (SCCNFP) in March 2003. The Committee adopted a second opinion on MIT in April 2004, where it concluded that the use of MI as a preservative at a maximum concentration of 0.01% (100 ppm) in the finished cosmetic product did not pose a risk to the health of the consumer.
According to literature and clinical data, sensitisation to MIT …
