Survey of Chemical Substances in Consumer Products, 53 – Survey of chemical substances in dandruff shampoo

Survey of chemical substances in dandruff shampoo

Preface

The Danish Environmental Protection Agency (Danish EPA) has initiated efforts to elucidate public exposure to chemical substances in consumer products and the risk associated with such exposure. The project ”Survey of chemical substances in dandruff shampoo” is part of these efforts.

The study was carried out on behalf of, and financed by, the Consumer Section of the Danish EPA.

The study was performed in December 2002 by:

Project Manager, Claus Ankjærgaard (MSc)

The project was monitored by the following Danish EPA employees:

Annette Orloff
Lea Frimann Hansen
Anette Albjerg Ejersted

The purpose of the project was to identify the ingredients in a selected number of dandruff shampoos. In the selection and collection of material for the study efforts were made to create as representative a selection of products as possible. Consequently, the survey should not be understood as an exhaustive mapping of dandruff shampoo on the Danish market. Rather, it is a survey of the most commonly occurring ingredients in Danish dandruff shampoos, their function, and the quantity in which they have been added to the individual product. The quantities referred to in this report are typical concentration intervals.

The entire project includes:

A brief explanation of legislation pertaining to dandruff shampoo.
A survey of ingredients, listed according to function in the relevant products, and typical quantities added.
A comparison with regular shampoo.
An assessment of human and environmental exposure.

In the period 30 May 2002 to 3 June 2002 a total of 12 shampoos were collected for examination.

In order to get an idea of which shampoos are on the market, the project included visits to a pharmacy, a beauty shop and a supermarket chain.

In accordance with the scope and financial framework of the project, the products collected are considered to be in accordance with project requirements for representativeness.

Requirements did not cover geographical representativeness, and thus all products were purchased in shops situated within the same geographical area.

In order to protect manufacturer identities, the products examined have been provided with a three-figure code between 354 and 365.