Doors open tomorrow in Berlin and will feature discussion on the uptake of aluminium in everyday life over two days.
Aluminium is used in antiperspirants, are currently the focus of scientific risk assessment, and they get high attention from consumers. There is need for research and information in this area.
Thus, BfR is calling for further research and information on aluminium that is used in the likes of antiperspirants, and the forum will act as a platform for government officials, business professionals, the media, NGOs and the public to gather and take part in discussions.
The event follows the German institute's 15th Consumer Protection Forum in August, where the focus on the health risks of aluminium present in deodorants was revealed.
Agenda
According to BfR, to prevent too high an intake of aluminium, excessive use of antiperspirants containing aluminium should be avoided. In addition to this, deodorants that do not contain aluminium salts should be used after shaving or if the skin in the armpits is damaged.
Questions like 'How much aluminium do we intake via food, drinking water, drugs, packaging and cosmetics? Are there reasons to believe that aluminium intake is a cause of Alzheimer's disease or breast cancer? Should contact with aluminium be reduced, and if so, what are measures that individual consumers can take?’ will be addressed in an effort to reach more solid conclusions.
A more detailed programme can be viewed here.
The estimated intake of aluminium from antiperspirants could possibly lie within the range determined by the European Food Safety Authority as the tolerable weekly intake.
In its' most recent assessment of the dermal intake of aluminium salts from antiperspirants, the Institute reported it found levels of around 10.5µg.
German institute keeping on top of cosmetic regulation...
In a bid to keep on top of cosmetic regulation the Institute also recently dedicated a Q&A section on the risk assessment of hazardous substances in cosmetics.
The dedicated area provides consumers with information on a fairly large range of cosmetic products, from shampoos to creams, toothpastes, lipsticks and sunscreen applications.
The BfR hopes this section of the site will help to debunk any concerns about human health risks on certain products.