Denmark pays considerable attention to the safety of preservatives in cosmetic products – it was the first European country to ban certain parabens from baby products. It has just published the results of a new assessment of their safety for health and the environment, carried out by its national Agency for environmental protection. Conclusion? Most preservatives are safe for use, although some of them may induce allergies or risks if they are overused.
This survey was carried out by the Danish Environmental Protection Agency, part of the Ministry of Environment and Food, from July 2013 to August 2014.
The overall objective of this project was to assess whether there may be a risk associated with the use of preservatives in cosmetic products. This issue was sought answered by examining the following sub-objectives:
1. To identify the preservatives used in practice in cosmetic products on the Danish market today, and to identify the permitted preservatives that are most frequently used
2. To make an environmental and health assessment (screening) of the selected permitted preservatives, as well as a hazard and risk assessment of the selected permitted preservatives.
The scope of the survey
A total of 639 different cosmetic products has been identified divided into groups ranging from sunscreens to powder to wet wipes. 31% did not contain preservatives, which may be because of the product's packaging and/or composition making preservation unnecessary. The survey identified a total of 53 preservatives used in cosmetic products on the Danish market. By comparison with previous studies of cosmetic products, it is seen that the use of parabens is decreasing.
An environmental and health screening of 25 of the …
