Health Authorities Uncover Banned Chemicals in Multiple Cosmetic Products

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) reported on Wednesday that it had identified hazardous, banned chemicals in hundreds of cosmetic products sold throughout Europe.

Moreover, the Helsinki-based agency inspected nearly 4,500 cosmetic products across 13 European countries, discovering that six percent—or 285 products—contained substances prohibited for their harmful health effects.

Hazardous Chemicals Found Across a Range of Products and Sellers

The agency stated that during inspections conducted between November 2023 and April 2024, these chemicals were detected in products “from various sellers and across all price ranges.”

Items found to contain hazardous chemicals included eyeliners, lip liners, conditioners, and hair masks.

Banned Substances Pose Fertility and Cancer Risks

However, the substances identified are banned under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants and EU law, as exposure to them may decrease fertility and raise cancer risks, the agencies reported.

ECHA stated that the inspections were mainly carried out by checking product ingredient lists and noted that this approach “can also be easily used by consumers.”

Following the inspections, “enforcement authorities have taken steps to remove the non-compliant products from the market,” according to the ECHA.

To conclude, the inspections were conducted in Austria, Denmark, Germany, Finland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Romania, and Sweden.

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