EU’s Addition Of Butylparaben To SVHC List Won’t Impact Cosmetics Use … Or Will It?

07 Aug 2020

Cosmetic uses of substances of very high concern are excluded from authorization requirements under EU REACH when the substance was listed strictly for endocrine-disrupting concerns. However, cosmetic product manufacturers may find the preservative unavailable from suppliers should butylparaben eventually make the European Chemicals Agency’s Authorization List.

The European Chemicals Agency announced on 25 June that it has added butyl 4-hydroxybenzoate (butylparaben) to the Candidate List for authorization under the EU’s Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation.

The move does not mean that butylparaben’s days are numbered as one of the cosmetic industry’s remaining preservative go-to’s, but...