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Editor's note: This article was originally published on April 11, 2024, and was updated on October 8, 2024, as per the latest developments.
On October 3, 2024, UK notified WTO of an addendum to the draft regulation submitted in April 2024. This addendum introduces a ban on 13 additional CMR substances (those classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction), and updates the original transitional policies for affected cosmetic products. It is open for comments for 60 days, and scheduled to take effect on January 31, 2025, alongside the initial draft.2
13 Newly Added CMR Substances for Ban
In addition to the 52 CMR substances listed in the initial draft, the addendum introduces 13 more to be banned. Details of the newly added substances are as follows:
Ref. No. | Substance Name | CAS No. | EC No. |
1732 | Benzyl(diethylamino)diphenylphosphonium 4-[1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propan-2-yl]phenolate | 577705-90-9 | 479-100-5 |
1733 | Benzyltriphenylphosphonium, salt with 4,4'-[2,2,2-trifluoro-1-(trifluoromethyl)ethylidene]bis[phenol] (1:1) | 75768-65-9 | 278-305-5 |
1734 | Reaction mass of 4,4'-[2,2,2-trifluoro-1-(trifluoromethyl)ethylidene]diphenol and benzyl(diethylamino)diphenylphosphonium 4-[1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propan-2-yl]phenolate (1:1) | / | / |
1735 | Reaction mass of 4,4'-[2,2,2-trifluoro-1-(trifluoromethyl)ethylidene]diphenol and benzyltriphenylphosphonium, salt with 4,4'-[2,2,2-trifluoro-1-(trifluoromethyl)ethylidene]bis[phenol] (1:1) | / | / |
1736 | Reaction mass of 1-(2,3-epoxypropoxy)-2,2-bis((2,3-epoxypropoxy)methyl)butane and 1-(2,3-epoxypropoxy)-2-((2,3-epoxypropoxy)methyl)-2-hydroxymethyl butane | / | / |
1737 | 4,4'-[2,2,2-trifluoro-1-(trifluoromethyl)ethylidene]diphenol; bisphenol AF | 1478-61-1 | 216-036-7 |
1738 | Transfluthrin (ISO); 2,3,5,6-tetrafluorobenzyl trans-2-(2,2-dichlorovinyl)-3,3-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxylate | 118712-89-3 | 405-060-5 |
1739 | Salts of 2-ethylhexanoic acid | / | / |
1740 | Benfluralin (ISO); N-butyl-N-ethyl-α,α,α-trifluoro-2,6-dinitro-p-toluidine | 1861-40-1 | 217-465-2 |
1741 | N,N-dimethyl-p-toluidine | 99-97-8 | 202-805-4 |
1742 | 4-nitrosomorpholine | 59-89-2 | / |
1743 | 3,3'-dimethylbiphenyl 4,4'-diyl diisocyanate | 91-97-4 | 202-112-7 |
1744 | Foramsulfuron (ISO); 2-{[(4,6-dimethoxypyrimidin-2-yl)carbamoyl]sulfamoyl}-4-formamido-N,N dimethylbenzamide; 1-(4,6-dimethoxypyrimidin-2-yl)-3-(2-dimethylcarbamoyl-5-formamidophenylsulfonyl)urea | 173159-57-4 | / |
Updated Transitional Provisions for Cosmetics
Compared to the initial draft, the addendum distinguishes between transitional provisions for cosmetics with newly prohibited and newly restricted ingredients. To be specific:
Cosmetic products containing the newly prohibited ingredients and placed on the market by April 20, 2025, can continue to be sold until October 20, 2025;
Cosmetic products containing the newly restricted ingredient and placed on the market by June 20, 2025, can continue to be sold until November 1, 2025.
On April 10, 2024, UK notified WTO of a draft regulation, proposing amendments to the ingredient lists in UK Regulation (EC) 1223/2009 (Cosmetics Regulation). The draft is open for comments until June 9, 2024, and expected to be adopted on June 25, 2024.1
The proposed amendments include the addition of 52 prohibited ingredients, and 1 restricted ingredient. Notwithstanding these amendments, the draft stipulates that cosmetic products placed on the market on or before April 20, 2025, can continue to be made available on the market until August 20, 2025. The specific details of the proposed amendments are as follows:
1. List of Prohibited Ingredients: 52 added
The UK Cosmetics Regulation prohibits the use of CMR substances in cosmetics, unless an exemption has been granted by the Secretary of State. The ingredients listed in the table below are identified CMR substances regulated under Regulation 1272/2008 on Classification, Labelling and Packaging of Substances and Mixture in Great Britain (GB CLP Regulation). To uniformly prohibit these CMR substances from being used in cosmetics, this draft proposes their inclusion in the prohibited ingredients list.
Ref. No. | Newly Prohibited Ingredients (Excerpt) | CAS No. | EC No. |
1680 | Tetrafluoroethylene | 116-14-3 | 204-126-9 |
1681 | 6,6'-di-tert-butyl-2,2'-methylenedi-p-cresol; [DBMC] | 119-47-1 | 204-327-1 |
1682 | (5-chloro-2-methoxy-4-methyl-3-pyridyl)(4,5,6-trimethoxy-o-tolyl)methanone; pyriofenone | 688046-61-9 | 692-456-8 |
1683 | (RS)-1-{1-ethyl-4-[4-mesyl-3-(2-methoxyethoxy)-o-toluoyl]pyrazol-5-yloxy}ethyl methyl carbonate; tolpyralate | 1101132-67-5 | / |
1684 | 3-methylpyrazole | 1453-58-3 | 215-925-7 |
1727 | 4,4'-sulphonyldiphenol; bisphenol S | 80-09-1 | 201-250-5 |
1728 | 6-[C10-C13)-alkyl-(branched, unsaturated)-2,5-dioxopyrrolidin-1-yl]hexanoic acid (tetra-PSCA) | 2156592-54-8 | 701-118-1 |
1729 | 6-[C12-18-alkyl-(branched, unsaturated)-2,5-dioxopyrrolidin-1-yl]hexanoic acid (Penta-PSCA) | / | 701-162-1 |
1730 | [C12-18-alkyl-(branched, unsaturated)-2,5-dioxopyrrolidin-1-yl] hexanoic acid, sodium and tris(2-hydroxyethyl) ammonium salts; (penta-PSCA Na-TEA) | / | 701-271-4 |
1731 | 1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-triamine; melamine | 108-78-1 | 203-615-4 |
* Find the full list of 52 newly included prohibited ingredients here. | |||
2. List of Restricted Ingredients: 1 added
In October 2023, the Scientific Advisory Group on Chemical Safety of Non-Food and Non-Medicinal Consumer Products (SAG-CS) released a scientific opinion on Kojic Acid, concluding that its use at a maximum concentration of 1% in face and hand cream is considered safe. Based on this opinion, the draft proposes to add Kojic Acid into the restricted ingredients list to guide its safe use in cosmetics.
Ref. No. | Substance Identification | Restrictions | ||||
Chemical Name / INN | Name of Common Ingredients Glossary | CAS No. | EC No. | Product Type | Maximum Concentration | |
| 323 | 5-hydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)pyran-4-one | Kojic acid | 501-30-4 | 207-922-4 | Face and hand products | 1% |
Further Reading
UK Introduces Recycling Labelling Requirements for Packaging Producers
UK Proposes to Ban the Supply and Sale of Plastic-contained Wet Wipes
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