| answer text |
<p>(1) The Environment Agency (EA) cannot assess the impact on the environment from
petrochemical ingredients in cosmetics. Petrochemicals are used in a large range of
manufacturing processes and the EA cannot, with confidence, trace petrochemicals in
the environment specifically back to the widespread use of cosmetics.</p><p> </p><p>(2)
The EA Chemical Assessment Unit published a review of organic UV filters in cosmetics
prior to the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of Chemicals
(REACH) regulations coming into force (<a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.publishing.service.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fuploads%2Fsystem%2Fuploads%2Fattachment_data%2Ffile%2F291007%2Fscho1008bpay-e-e.pdf&data=05%7C01%7CMatt.Womersley%40environment-agency.gov.uk%7Cb317fb6028fb482aaf1008daa0982a56%7C770a245002274c6290c74e38537f1102%7C0%7C0%7C637998873520894768%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=kmZ5qJPU49MG52xtNXPJmILrAtiHN%2B8wqZmYCLn9JFE%3D&reserved=0"
target="_blank">here</a> and copy attached). They have a project this year to update
it, which will complete by March 2023.</p><p> </p><p>The EA has developed a Prioritisation
and Early Warning System (PEWS) for chemicals of emerging concern to ensure consideration
of the potential risks of emerging chemicals including to surface waters (both freshwater
and saline waters), groundwater and soils. The system allows the EA to sift and to
screen any chemical substance nominated using, where available, hazard data and environmental
monitoring data to prioritise whether a substance may be a possible chemical of concern
in England.</p><p> </p><p>The EA has considered some mineral UV-filters as part of
PEWS: zinc oxide in its nanoform; and titanium dioxide in its nanoform. However, both
substances have a much broader range of uses beyond cosmetics, so it is not possible
to isolate the impact of release from cosmetic use alone. Both substances flagged
as low risk in PEWS, but the EA stresses it has low certainty over this outcome, due
to a lack of available data.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
|
|
