After a total ban in leave-on products, which took effect on 12 February 2017, the second part of the new restrictions on Methylisothiazolinone is about to come into force. The MIT concentration limitation in rinse-off products results from the publication of Regulation 2017/1224 of last July 6.
Following an Opinion on the safety of Methylisothiazolinone adopted by the SCCS on 15 December 2015, the European Commission published Regulation 2017/1224 to amend Annex V (preservatives) of Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009.
To tackle the rise in the number of allergies induced by methylisothiazolinone, its maximum authorized concentration in rinse-off products was reduced to 0.0015% in finished cosmetic products. A six-month delay was granted for the industry to make the products concerned compliant – and the transitional period is now over.
As a consequence, as from 27 January 2018, not a single new rinse-off cosmetic product containing more than 0.0015% MIT may be placed on the market.
The industry should have withdrawn non-compliant products from the market by 27 April 2018.
It is up to manufacturers and Responsible Persons to take all the appropriate measures to comply with these dates, including by informing distributors and organizing any withdrawal operation for non-compliant products.
LW
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