The study has been performed by Swedish researchers and is published in the Science of The Total Environment, September 2013 issue, journal. It fingers the regulatory inconsistencies in the classification of UV filters as for their hazard toward the environment, depending on whether they are in the CLP regulation or in the Cosmetics Regulation.
“In the shadow of the cosmetic regulation — Inconsistencies in EU environmental hazard classification requirements for UV-filters”
Abstract
UV-filters are chemicals with potentially environmental hazardous properties.
In the European Union (EU), UV-filters contained in sunscreen products are currently regulated by the Cosmetic Regulation.
Environmental hazard classifications according to the regulation on classification, labeling and packaging of substances and mixtures (CLP) must be determined for UV-filters contained in industrial chemical products, whereas UV-filters contained in sunscreens are exempted from CLP.
In this study we determined the potential environmental hazard classifications of UV-filters and sunscreen products if the CLP regulation was to be required for cosmetic products. Two sunscreen products were evaluated in accordance with the aquatic environmental hazard criteria for mixtures.
The results highlight that the inconsistencies in the current EU regulation of UV filters hamper the risk management of environmental hazards of UV filters used in cosmetic products.
Almost 50% of the investigated UV-filters approved for use in cosmetic products on the European market according to the current cosmetic regulation were identified to meet the CLP classification as being hazardous to the aquatic environment. Assuming a worst-case scenario, the two examined sunscreens could both be classified as hazardous to the …
