This week, the European Commission’s Rapex alerts have led to 36 products being withdrawn from the EU market. Of these, nine were in Spain, including electrical appliances, items of clothing, toys and a laser pointer.
As regards the cosmetics sector, five products have been recalled. The first was a glue for false nails in Denmark – which Rapex has categorised as a chemical product – manufactured by CHL Bond in China, and which was recalled because it contained chloroform amongst its ingredients and therefore did not comply with the REACH Regulation.
In Romania, two products have been withdrawn: an eyeshadow of unknown origin, manufactured by PQND’s, which has been banned because it contains two ingredients prohibited by the annexes to the Regulation – isobutylparaben and isopropylparaben, and a hand cream, manufactured by Kézkrém in Hungary, for containing isobutylparaben and failing to comply with the Regulation.
There have also been bans in Ireland: an eyebrow tint, manufactured by Delia Cosmetics in Poland, for containing p-phenylenediamine (PPD), an ingredient that can cause allergic reactions and is prohibited under the Regulation, and a talcum powder, manufactured by Cotton Tree in India, as it was contaminated with aerobic mesophilic bacteria, which can cause eye irritation and conjunctivitis, and therefore did not comply with the Cosmetics Regulation.
Finally, we would like to point out that Germany has withdrawn a brand of tattoo ink called Intenze from the market because it was contaminated with mesophilic aerobic bacteria and did not comply with German national legislation governing this type of product.