Banning of TMPTA & Benzophenone chemical substances in the UK and EU

Background To Banning of TMPTA & Benzophenone

Every year, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) updates legislation on the categorization and use of chemical substances based on the advice and recommendations of their Risk Assessment Committee (RAC).

These updates are incorporated into the Adaption To Technical Progress (ATP) amendments of Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures.

This year’s update is called the 18th ATP and comes into effect on the 1st December 2023 and includes two chemical substances that are widely used in UV/LED cured nail systems: Trimethylpropane Triacrylate (TMPTA) and Benzophenone.

Substances that are carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction (CMR) are banned for use in cosmetics according to EU cosmetic regulation 1223/2009 (Annex II) unless their use is specifically allowed under special conditions (Annex III).

TMPTA has been classified as a Class 2 carcinogen and Benzophenone as a Class 1B carcinogen in the 18TH ATP. This means that all cosmetic products containing these substances must be removed from shelves and cannot be sold after the 1st December 2023.