Following the mandate given by the European Commission to the SCCS in the context of the safety assessment of substances with potential endocrine disrupting properties, the Scientific Committee has just published its preliminary opinion on Salicylic Acid. It was adopted by written procedure on 14 December 2022 and is open for comments until 17 February 2023.
Background
The last SCCS assessment was performed in view the classification of Salicylic Acid as a CMR2 (Repr.2) substance under the CLP Regulation and in accordance to the provisions laid out in Article 15 of the Cosmetics Regulation.
It is currently regulated under Annex III (entry 98) and Annex V (entry 3), with specific maximum concentrations and conditions of use.
The Commission asked the SCCS to carry out a safety assessment of Salicylic acid in the light of the latest information provided by industry to demonstrate the safety of the substance.
For an exhaustive background information, see the articles
• Endocrine disruptors: 2nd call for data from the European Commission, CosmeticOBS, 22 February 2021
• Methylparaben, Benzyl Salicylate, Salicylic Acid: requests for SCCS Opinions, CosmeticOBS, 14 February 2022
Opinion
1. In light of the data provided and taking under consideration the concerns related to potential endocrine disrupting properties of Salicylic Acid,
a) Does the SCCS consider Salicylic Acid safe when used as a preservative in cosmetic products up to a maximum concentration of 0.5%?
Based on the safety assessment carried out in consideration of all available information, including the potential endocrine effects, the SCCS is of the opinion …
