Methylparaben and butylparaben are commonly used as preservative agents in cosmetics. Due to concerns about the endocrine disrupting properties of the two parabens, the European Commission requested a reassessment of their safe use. The EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) carried out the assessments.
The SCCS concluded that the existing limits for the use of the substances in cosmetics do not pose a risk of endocrine disruption. Consequently, there is no basis for changing the current limits.
The current limits are
- For methylparaben 0.4% for the substance alone and a maximum total concentration of 0.8% for mixtures with other parabens.
- For butylparaben 0.14% for the substance on its own; a maximum total concentration of 0.14% in combination with propylparaben, and for mixtures with other parabens, the maximum concentration is 0.8%.
If you have questions about substances in cosmetics, please contact:
Lise M. Møller
lmm@dhigroup.com
Tel +45 4516 9133
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