Survey of chemical substances in consumer products, 69. – Survey of liquid hand soaps, including health and environmental assessments

Survey of liquid hand soaps, including health and environmental assessments

Preface

The products included in the project "Survey of liquid hand soaps, including health and environmental assessments" was collected in the spring 2005. As stated in the survey new legislation was enforced in March 2006 regarding declaration of 26 allergenic fragrance substances. The 26 particularly allergenic fragrance substances must be stated separately on the product label if they appear in concentrations above 0.01% in hand soaps sold after 11th March 2005. Since several of the included products were produced earlier than 11th March 2005 some of the products did not declare content of the 26 fragrances even though they were identified in the analysis.

The survey was sent to the producers of the included products for commenting ahead of the publication of the survey. Due to this hearing the Danish EPA has received some comments regarding the analysis, the labelling of the products and the safety evaluation of the products from the producers. Some of these comments are now included as text in the survey or included as footnotes. The conclusions of the received comments regarding the specific products are described below.

Product no. 3: The composition of the product has been changed. The product no longer contains the environmental problematic substance Cocamide DEA and also the composition of the used fragrance mix is changed so that it no longer contains musks or phthalates. Furthermore, the content of all the 26 allergenic fragrance substances are below the declaration level.

Product no. 6: The producer's own analyses show a lower content of the 26 fragrances the Danish EPA's analysis. This might be due to differences in analytical methods or uncertainties.

The product do however no longer contains any of the 26 allergenic fragrance substances since the composition of the product has been changed.

Product no. 7: Since the product was produced before 1st march 2005 there was no declaration of the 26 allergen fragrance chemicals. Products produced after 1st marts 2005 are declared correctly according to the legislation. The Danish EPA's analyses show a content of Linalool just above 0,01%. The supplier of the fragrance mix has confirmed that the content is below 0,01% and due to this there is no obligations to declare it. Since the uncertainties on the EPA's analysis are 10-15% this can explain the difference. The producer furthermore states that the product will be taken of the market due to decreasing demands.

Product no. 8: The Danish EPA has received documentation regarding the content of MG (Methyldibromo glutaronitril). The content is below the detection limit of the analysis so the declaration of MG on the product was correct. The producer has subsequently chosen to phase out the use of MG and other allergenic preservatives from their soaps, so today none of these are used in the producer's liquid soaps. Product 8 has not been produced after 11th March 2005 and is therefore no longer on the Danish market. The EPA did also receive a safety evaluation of the product.

Product no. 9: The retailer no longer sells this product.

Product no. 13: The composition of the product has been changed, Sodium Benzoate is currently used as preservative in the product.

Product no. 18 and 21: Are no longer on the market