China SFDA updates technical safety cosmetics standard

11-Dec-2012 - Last updated on 03-May-2013 at 09:19 GMT

Related tags Cosmetics

The State Food and Drug Administration responsible for evaluating the safety and labelling of cosmetics has issued a comment letter on its’ updated Technical Safety Standard (draft 2012) which will replace the regulation of Hygienic Standard for Cosmetics (2007).

According to regulatory affairs specialist April Guo, the notice has been published to encourage public comments on the newly re-named and revised standard.

The Hygienic Standards for Cosmetics issued by the Ministry of Health in 2007, is said to be the most important cosmetic standard in China that sets detailed safety requirements on finished cosmetic products manufactured or sold in the country.

It includes the ban of over 1200 substances in cosmetics and the restricted use of 73 substances, 56 preservatives, 156 colorants, 28 sun block agents and 93 cosmetic dyes.

New changes

In comparison to the old regulation, the new standard proposes that the first change be to its name, which will from here on out, be referred to as the ‘Technical Safety Standard for Cosmetics’.

Others on the table for discussion also include; safety and more detailed requirements be added for ingredients and special use cosmetics, a maximum allowable amount of Pb and As to be reduced from 40mg/kg and 10mg/kg to 10mg/kg and 4mg/kg respectively; and finally, that quantitative limits for 1,4-dioxane(30mg/kg) and asbestos(not detected) in cosmetics to be added.

The new draft has also emphasized the importance of safety evaluation of cosmetics and cosmetic ingredients and reckons that companies should take part in carrying out its own safety evaluation of cosmetics and cosmetic ingredients (including risk substances) to ensure safe use.

According to Guo, the annexes of the new standard are also being revised and will be published for consultations later. They are due to include; technical requirements on cosmetic ingredients, banned & restricted substances, and testing & evaluation methods such as microbial, toxicology and human efficacy.

The deadline for comments is the 15th December and full details up for discussion can be found here.

Keeping on top of regulation standards..

The Administration has been kept busy updating many of its regulations lately. Last month it announced it planned to simplify procedures for name or address changes of cosmetics producers.

The aim was to intensify the management of cosmetics administrative license, further improve work efficiency, and offer convenience to the administrative counterpart.