They have been banned since 2023. But in products where they were useful, they had to be replaced with something else. Are the alternatives to plastic microbeads safe for human health and the environment? That is the question the RIVM sought to answer in this analysis.
As a reminder, Regulation (EU) 2023/2055 amended Annex XVII of the REACH Regulation to ban synthetic polymer micro-particles, otherwise known as microplastics. The text sets out deadlines for its implementation, which vary depending on the type of product. However, with regard to microbeads intended for use as abrasives in rinse-off cosmetic products, no transitional period has been provided for, on the grounds that the industry had committed to phasing out their use by 2020.
In its introduction, the RIVM (Netherlands National Institute for Public Health and the Environment) points out that manufacturers have replaced these microplastics with other ingredients. “These substances are often made from minerals, plant-based materials, or synthetic materials. It is important that these alternatives are safe for human health and the environment,” it emphasises.
The RIVM therefore sought to determine which alternatives to microbeads were present in personal care products sold in the Netherlands. It then selected the ten most common alternatives, described them and assessed their potential adverse effects. The study therefore focused on: • titanium dioxide (CAS No.13463-67-7, EC No.236-675-5, INCI: Titanium Dioxide)
• silica (CAS No.7631-86-9 / 112945-52-5 / 60676-86-0, EC No.231-545-4 / 262-373-8 /310-060-2, INCI: Silica) and hydrated silica (CAS No.10279-57-9 …
