The EU has decided to no longer allow the use in cosmetics of zinc pyrithione, a substance accused of interfering with fertility
Don't store avocado like this: it's dangerousThe European Union has decided to no longer allow the use in cosmetics of zinc pyrithione, an endocrine substance accused of interfering with fertility
The EU has decided to ban an active ingredient still present in several anti-dandruff shampoos. This is zinc pyrithione which from March 2022 can no longer be used in cosmetics.
The European Commission Regulation 2021/1902 amends Annexes II, III and V of Regulation (EC) no. 1223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council regarding the use in cosmetic products of certain substances classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction (CMR). These include zinc pyrithione.
It is an anti-dandruff active ingredient but also a preservative used for decades in shampoos as well as in other beauty products, especially for the hair. However, the EU has now decided to ban its use in cosmetics starting from 2022 March XNUMX.
In fact, as stated in the amendments to the Regulation published in the Official Journal of the European Union:
the SCCS concluded that Zinc Pyrithione can be considered safe when used as an anti-dandruff ingredient in rinsing hair / beard and mustache products, at a maximum concentration of 1%. However, as it has not been established that there are no suitable alternative substances available as regards anti-dandruff ingredients in hair / beard and mustache rinsing products, Zinc Pyrithione should be removed from the list of restricted substances in Annex III. of Regulation (EC) No. 1223/2009 and from the list of authorized preservatives in cosmetic products referred to in Annex V of the same regulation. It should also be added to the list of prohibited substances in cosmetic products referred to in Annex II of Regulation (EC) No. 1223/2009.
This decision was preceded by the classification as a CMR substance (ie "carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction") of category 1B: the active ingredient with INCI name "Zinc Pyrithione" is in fact "presumably toxic for reproduction in humans".
In practice, it zinc piritione it is potentially dangerous as it is suspected of damaging fertility but is also irritating to the skin and toxic to aquatic organisms. Until now, the EU allowed its use in rinse-off products, such as anti-dandruff shampoos, up to a maximum concentration of 1% while in other cosmetics that stay longer on the hair, the substance was authorized to constitute 0,1%, provided it was not used for storage.
Although better alternatives have long existed, zinc pyrithione is still present in several shampoos, as also reported by one of the latest tests in the German magazine Öko-Test. Also Read: What's In Your Dandruff Shampoo? The test discovers skin irritants. Among the worst Head & Shoulders
While waiting for it to be banned, to protect ourselves we can simply read the INCI of the shampoo we want to buy, leaving it on the shelf if we find zinc pyrithione among the ingredients. In the list of ingredients we find it with the wording Zinc Pyrithione
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Source: Official Journal of the European Union
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