FINAL REPORT ON THE EU SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEES ACTIVITIES FOR 2004-2009
FROM: EU Scientific Committees
Posted: September 27, 2010
Executive summary
- Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR)
During its mandate from September 2004 to January 2009, the SCENIHR adopted 18 opinions, and one position paper.
The focus of the work of SCENIHR was on Nanotechnologies (4 opinions), biological hazards (3 opinions – human-derived products and variant Creutzfeldt Jacob disease, human blood/organs and West Nile Virus, Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) risks from cosmetic ingredients), Antimicrobial resistance (2, one of which was developed and adopted jointly with SCHER), physical hazards (4 opinions – Electro Magnetic Fields-EMF (2), personal music players, energy-efficient light bulbs) and Medical Devices (2 opinions – dental restoration materials (1), plasticizers (1)). Further work was carried out on smokeless tobacco products.
Two opinions were jointly adopted with SCCP and SCHER: One concerned the Threshold of Toxicological Concern (TTC) and the other was on the methodologies for genotoxic and carcinogenic substances.
- Scientific Committee on Consumer Products (SCCP)
During its mandate from September 2004 to January 2009, the SCCP adopted 180 opinions, guidance documents, memoranda and position statements.
Out of these 180 documents, 178 were related to cosmetic products. Only 2 opinions concerned other consumer products (sun beds and nitrosamines in rubber balloons).
In addition to opinions and technical advice which were developed on request from other services, the SCCP issued two guidance documents, most notably a major update of the Notes of Guidance for applicants, as well as six memoranda and position statements.
| Year |
Colorants |
Fragrances |
Hair Dyes |
Preservatives |
UV filters |
Other substances |
Consumer products |
Methodology guidance |
Total opinions |
Position statements memoranda etc |
Total documents |
| 2004 |
- |
2 |
2 |
1 |
- |
3 |
- |
- |
8 |
- |
8 |
| 2005 |
1 |
5 |
11 |
7 |
1 |
9 |
- |
- |
34 |
1 |
35 |
| 2006 |
- |
6 |
28 |
5 |
6 |
4 |
1 |
3 |
53 |
2 |
55 |
| 2007 |
- |
1 |
22 |
1 |
1 |
6 |
- |
- |
32 |
2 |
34 |
| 2008 |
- |
2 |
23 |
2 |
3 |
8 |
- |
- |
38 |
- |
38 |
| 2009 |
- |
- |
2 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
9 |
1 |
10 |
| Total |
1 |
16 |
88 |
19 |
13 |
31 |
2 |
4 |
174 |
6 |
180 |
- Hair Dye evaluations under the European Hair Dye Strategy
Following reports that hinted to a link between the use of hair dyes and certain cancer types (bladder cancer, leukaemia), and a recommendation of the SCCNFP, the Commission developed a strategy to review and regulate all hair dye substances on the European market.
This involved submission of updated safety information for these substances and evaluation by the Scientific Committee.
After the submission deadlines, data for 117 hair dyes had been submitted.
50 hair dye ingredients have been finally assessed as safe,
5 were considered to pose a risk to the consumer.
Of the initial evaluations, 25 could not be finalised since the SCCP considered the data submitted insufficient and requested additional information or studies.
For 7 of the ingredients concerned, the requested data has been already provided and awaits further assessment,
while for 18, a further submission is pending. Including some new submission that were made on hair dyes developed since the start of the hair dye strategy,
altogether 40 hair dyes remain to be assessed.
- Hair dye assessments
So far, 176 hair dye substances have been included in Annex II of the Cosmetics Directive (including the 20 banned before the start of the strategy). 25 substances with hair dyeing properties without updated safety file have not been banned yet since they are also used as colorants in cosmetics or in food.
Of the hair dyes already assessed by the SCCP, 17 that have received a positive evaluation were proposed for regulation in Annex III, part 1. The respective directive was published in the OJ on 16 April 2009.
- Hearing on Parabens
Different parabens (methyl-, ethyl-, butyl-, propylparaben) are widely used as preservatives in cosmetic products. While the SCCP had evaluated methyl- and ethylparaben as safe, some study results on butyl- and propylparaben had been a matter of extensive discussion during the evaluation process. To identify a way forward and a strategy to come a final assessment of these substances, the Commission and the SCCP organised a hearing on 23 October 2007. Three parties expressed interest after the publication of the announcement and were invited to the meeting. The available scientific data, their shortcomings and additional research that could support the safe use of the substances were discussed during the meeting.
This meeting, together with material submitted subsequently, formed the basis of the SCCP opinion on parabens of 24 June 2008 (available from CosmExpert/CosSafe download center), discussing the Industry proposal for further research and giving additional recommendations.
- Scientific Committee on Health and Environmental Risks (SCHER)
…, the focus of the work of SCHER was on Risk Assessment Reports on existing chemicals under Regulation 793/93/EC (86 opinions), risk assessment (10 opinions – Detergents (4), cadmium in fertilizers, organotin (stannous derivatives) compounds, mercury in dental amalgam, organic chemicals in toys, antifouling paints used on boats, and phthalates in school supplies), chemicals in products (dichloromethane in paint strippers), specific environmental issues (perfluoroctane sulfonate), ISO standard (ISO 10708 - Water quality), air quality (3 opinions – indoor air quality, air pollution, and air fresheners), non-animal testing (2 opinions – endocrine disruptors and non animal testing, and use on non-human primates in research), biological risks (antimicrobial resistance). Further work was carried out on research priorities for the 7th Framework Program (1 opinion).
Moreover, two opinions were jointly adopted with SCCP and SCENIHR. One opinion was on the Threshold of Toxicological Concern (TTC) and one on the methodologies for genotoxic and carcinogenic substances.
