Last Friday, the 20th, the European Commission published the Rapex Report 20-1-2017 via the EU Rapid Alert System for Consumers. In this new warning from the European Commission, a total of 50 products were withdrawn from the single market. That is quite a high number. The sectors most affected were electrical appliances, motor vehicles and toys. The Spanish authorities, for their part, reported three products: two toys and an extension lead.
The cosmetics sector in the Rapex Report of 20 January 2017
The European Commission has announced a ban on a single cosmetic product – a leave-in hair conditioner – due to its triclosan content. This ingredient is listed in Annex V (Preservatives) of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009. Until recently, the use of this ingredient was permitted in all cosmetic products, subject to a maximum % limit in the formulation. However, following recent changes prompted by the opinions of the European scientific committees (SCCS), its use is no longer permitted in leave-on products.
In addition to the EU notification, here at GTF we have identified another cosmetic product that has been recalled in the Rapex Report dated 20 January 2017. It is a bubble blower, which Rapex has listed under the ‘Toys’ category. The reason for its recall was contamination of the soap, which contained a very high number of mesophilic aerobic bacteria. It therefore failed to comply with the Toy Safety Directive. For this very reason, it should also be recalled under Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on Cosmetic Products. The Regulation sets limits on contamination in products such as soap. According to the M. Camps Pharmaceutical Technical Office, this product should fall within the cosmetics category, as its recall was not prompted by the toy itself, but by the contamination of the soap contained within the toy.
Below is the infographic we have created for this alert:
RAPEX report 20 January 2017: cosmetics recalled in the EU – RAPEX cosmetovigilance