EcoWaste Coalition Finds More Cosmetics with Banned Preservative
10 of the 14 cosmetics that had isobutylparaben as listed ingredient,
The EcoWaste Coalition today reported finding
more cosmetics in violation of a government regulation prohibiting the use of
isobutylparaben, a preservative, in 14 cosmetic products.
The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), following the decision by the ASEAN
Cosmetics Committee in 2014, banned the use of isobutylparaben and four
other parabens in cosmetics effective December 31, 2015.
In a bid to help the FDA in enforcing the said regulation, the group conducted
yet another round of retail market monitoring on April 10, 13 and 14 to check
if cosmetic companies have recalled products containing the banned parabens as
required by FDA Advisory 2015-014.
According to the said advisory, “companies or persons responsible for placing
cosmetic products in the market, which are found to be out of specifications
shall be subject to appropriate legal actions.”
“We have found 14 more products listing isobutylparaben as ingredient in clear
defiance of the FDA directive,” said Thony Dizon, Coordinator, EcoWaste
Coalition’s Project Protect.
The non-compliant items, mostly skin care, hair care and foot care products,
are sold in legitimate, not dubious, retail outlets, he said.
“Despite the year-long grace period given by the FDA to ensure industry
compliance, some cosmetics manufacturers, importers and distributors are
obviously not abiding by the government regulation,” he said.
Dizon noted that 10 of the 14 non-compliant products were imported from UK,
which, as a member state of the European Union, should no longer be selling
cosmetics with isobutylparaben as ingredient.
“If these 10 products would be illegal to sell in Europe, why are they being
sold in the Philippines?,” Dizon asked.
The European Commission in 2014 added five parabens, including isobutylparaben,
in the list of substances prohibited in cosmetic products due to the lack of
data necessary for their safety re-assessment.
Under the Commission Regulation (EU) NO. 358/2014, cosmetics circulating in
Europe should not contain any of the banned parabens from July 30, 2015.
The EcoWaste Coalition had already reported its findings to the FDA through the
Center for Cosmetic Regulation and Research
-end-
Reference:
http://www.fda.gov.ph/attachments/article/294902/FC2015-014%20-%20Reiteration%20of%20Grace%20Period%20Given%20to%20the%20Cosmetic%20Industry.pdf
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv:OJ.L_.2014.107.01.0005.01.ENG
Additional Information:
The 14 cosmetic products with isobutylparaben as ingredient as indicated on
product labels include 10 items from UK-based Beauty Formulas, namely:
Aloe Fresh Replenishing Moisture Cream, Avocado Oil Treatment Wax, Cocoa
Butter Body Conditioning Cream, Deep Action Pore Cleanser, Deep Penetrating
Softening Foot Lotion, Honey & Almond Facial Scrub, Honey Treatment Wax,
Oil & Shine Control Moisturiser, On the Spot Treatment, and
Regenerating Hand Cream.
The other products found to contain isobutylparaben as listed ingredient were
Caronia Hand & Foot Care Nourishing Crème (Green Tea Scent), Ocean
Potion Extreme Tanning Xcelerator Spray Gel, Ocean Potion Protect & Nourish
Sea Plant Botanicals (Babies & Sensitive) and Ocean Potion Protect
& Nourish Sea Plant Botanicals (Kids) .
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