The European Union has just transmitted to WTO a draft regulation aimed at restricting the use of Zinc oxide as a colorant in uncoated non-nano form in cosmetic products to prevent the exposure of the end-user's lungs by inhalation. The text should enter into force during 3rd quarter 2017.
Notification date
13 January 2017
Content
This draft Commission regulation aims at restricting the use of Zinc oxide as a colorant in uncoated non-nano form (cosmetic products).
The EU adopted in April 2016 a
regulation authorising Zinc oxide for use as a UV-filter
in its nano and non-nano forms (Commission regulation (EU) 2016/621 of 21 April 2016). The current draft measure is based on the
same scientific Opinion of the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety
(SCCS/1489/2012) on which regulation (EU) 2016/621 was based, but concerns the use of Zinc oxide as colorant and regulates only the uncoated non-nano form. Currently Zinc oxide (in uncoated non-nano form) is authorised for use as a colorant in cosmetics. The draft measure will keep Zinc oxide authorised as a colorant but proposes a restriction of the conditions of use of this colorant to applications preventing exposure of the end-user's lungs to Zinc oxide by inhalation.
The text of the future regulation
Whereas
1. Zinc oxide is authorised as a colorant in cosmetic products under entry 144 of Annex IV to Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009.
2. In its Opinion of 18 September 2012, which was revised in 23 September 2014, the Scientific Committee on Consumer …
