European Scientific Committee Not Budging On Recommended MI Restrictions

The Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety is not swayed by Cosmetic Europe's updated data submission suggesting that methylisothiazolinone can be safely used to preserve cosmetic products in concentrations as high as 100 ppm, taking issue with industry's Quantitative Risk Assessment model for dermal sensitization and tests cited in the trade group's calculations. The committee stands by its position that MI is unsafe for use in leave-on cosmetics and should be restricted to 15 ppm in rinse-off products.

New data submitted by trade group Cosmetics Europe failed to convince the European Commission's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety that preservative methylisothiazolinone can be safely used in leave-on hair products or at higher levels in rinse-off cosmetics than previously recommended.

"MI has been used in up to 8.8 times higher concentrations than MCI for the past 10 years in cosmetic products, which has led to the current situation of high rates of contact allergy to MI in consumers," the committee states

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