The Technical Ingredient Consortium says it has changed the scope of its support activity on the substance and is preparing a complete safety dossier for submission to the European Commission in the frame of Article 15 in the EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC/1223/2009).
According to the Group's members, this dossier is needed to support the continued safe use of this preservative in cosmetics on the EU market.
“The Consortium has decided to no longer support the use of PHMB in propellant driven aerosol spray products.”
PHMB is used as a sanitizer or preservative to kill bacteria and viruses and to control algae in a wide range of applications globally. As a preservative, PHMB is used in cosmetics, personal care products, fabric softeners, contact lens solutions, hand washes, and more.
The consortia managed by Cosmetics Europe is self-funded and aims to prepare and submit safety dossiers related to the use of these ingredients in cosmetic products in order to ensure their continued use under the EU cosmetics legislation.
EC's rigorous efforts to keep regulations updated
The European Commission recently called on the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) for a full risk assessment on the safe use of the nano form of silica in cosmetic products.
The move came after the Commission received 172 notifications for cosmetic products containing silica, hydrated silica, sylilate and silica dimethyl silylate.
These substances function as anti-foaming, anti-caking, bulking or skin-conditioning agents used in nano form in leave-on and rinse-off cosmetics, including hair, skin, lip, face, and nail products, with different concentrations and specifications.
Currently the ingredients are not regulated in Cosmetic Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, but are reported in the Cosing database with several cosmetic functions.
"The Commission has concerns on the use of silica in nano form because of the potential high exposure in many types of products and because concerns have been raised regarding the potential for nanoparticles of silica to break out of the agglomerates and enter cells."