[Updated] UK Imposes Restrictions on the Use of Butylated Hydroxytoluene

Editor's note: This article was originally published on November 2, 2023, and was updated on April 7, 2024, as per the latest developments. The updated contents are marked in red below.

On October 27, 2023, UK notified WTO of a draft regulation, proposing to restrict the use of Butylated Hydroxytoluene (CAS No. 128-37-0) in cosmetics.¹ This draft was finalized on April 3, 2024, and will come into effect on April 22, 2024.²

Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT) is a synthetic antioxidant commonly added to cosmetic products to enhance stability and prevent oxidation. Currently, it is not regulated under the UK Regulation (EC) 1223/2009 (Cosmetics Regulation). In April 2022, the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) released a call for data on the safety of cosmetic ingredients with suspected endocrine disrupting properties, including BHT. Following this call for data, the Scientific Advisory Group on Chemical Safety of Non-Food and Non-Medicinal Consumer Products (SAG-CS) evaluated the safety of BHT used in cosmetic products, and published the corresponding scientific opinion.

This regulation is based on SAG-CS's opinion. It newly includes BHT as a restricted ingredient in the Cosmetics Regulation with the following restrictions:

Ref. No.	Substance Identification				Restrictions
Ref. No.	Chemical Name / INN	Name of Common Ingredients Glossary	CAS No.	EC No.	Product Type	Maximum Concentration
322	2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol	Butylated hydroxytoluene	128-37-0	204-881-4	(a) Toothpaste (b) Mouthwash (c) Leave-on oral care products (d) Other leave-on and rinse-off products	(a) 0.1% (b) 0.001% (c) 0.001% (d) 0.8%
*Notes:* Products containing BHT and placed on the market on or prior to February 24, 2025, can continue to be made available on the market until June 24, 2025.

[Updated] UK Imposes Restrictions on the Use of Butylated Hydroxytoluene

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