The safety of the cosmetic ingredient, anti-dandruff agentand preservative, Zinc Pyrithione (ZPT) (CAS No. 13463-41-7, EC No. 236-671-3), will be re-assessed by the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS). The request was published from the European Commission following the proposal of European Chemicals Agency’s Risk Assessment Committee to classify the substance as CMR 1B.
The use of ZPT has been generally allowed in the European Union as an anti-dandruff agent in hair dressing products and shampoos and it is currently regulated as a preservative in rinse-off products (excluding oral hygiene products) in a concentration up to 0.5% in general and up to 1.0% in hair products (Annex V/8 of Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009). ZPT is also allowed in a concentration up to 0.1% in leave-on hair products (Annex III/101 of Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009).
Classifying ZPT as a CMR 1B substance would have to consider the restrictions together with the exceptions of Article 15 in the Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009.
If the above goes forward, regulatory measures will need to be adopted by the Commission services within 15 months of the classification as CMR 1B of the substance in Part 3 of Annex VI to Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008.
The deadline for the Scientific Committee to give its opinion is until October 2019.
Please find the full request here.
Bianca Sofian
RA Department
July 29, 2019
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