Safer Use of HPMA and HEMA in cosmetics and personal care products: ANSES Submits Recommendations under CLP Regulation

ANSES recommends that HEMA and HPMA be classified and labeled as follows under the CLP Regulation: “Causes skin irritation; Category 2 (H315)”, exclusively for HEMA based on its current classification, “Causes serious eye irritation; Category 2 (H319)”, “May cause an allergic skin reaction; Category 1 (H317)”, “May cause allergy or asthma symptoms or breathing difficulties if inhaled; Category 1 (H334)”, and “May cause respiratory irritation; Category 3 (H335)”.

These proposals have been available for public consultation on the website of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) since March 13, 2023, for a two-month period. This is to give all stakeholders the opportunity to present their comments, scientific arguments, and any additional information at their disposal. Following this consultation stage, ANSES will respond to the comments received, and the proposal, comments, and ANSES's responses will be placed before ECHA’s Committee for Risk Assessment, which will issue an opinion on the classification of HEMA and HPMA.

Based on this opinion, the European Commission will draft regulatory texts allowing the proposed classifications to be included in the CLP Regulation. The CLP Regulation is the legislation in force in the European Union to protect workers, consumers, and the environment against the risks posed by chemicals, and it aims to identify any hazards posed by a substance or substance mixture due to its physico-chemical properties and its effects on health and the environment.