The Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) first assessed the safety of phenylene bisdiphenyltriazine (S86) as a UV filter in sunscreen products in a concentration of up to 10% back in 2015, concluding that it could have genotoxic and phototoxic potential and that an adequate physico-chemical characterization should be provided.
The last SCCS opinion of July 2018 changed the percentage of the allowed S86 concentration from 10% to 5 % when used as a UV filter in sunscreen products.
The opinion also states that S86 might contain impurities such as NMP and hydrazine, classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic and reprotoxic (CMR) 1B chemicals and substance of very high concern (SVHC) in the European Union. Thus, as specified in the opinion, the level of NMP and hydrazine should be kept at trace levels.
Furthermore, S86 has an insoluble nature and data on safety via inhalation exposure is not available, its use not being considered safe in products that would lead to inhalation exposure, but only in dermally applied products.
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