THE WHAT? The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) has designated nail products containing more than 250 parts per million (ppm) of triphenyl phosphate (TPhP) as a priority product under the Safer Consumer Products Program and has proposed banning cleaning products containing hydrofluoric acid.

THE DETAILS Effective 1 October, manufacturers of nail coatings and nail or cuticle treatments containing more than 250 ppm of TPhP sold in California must notify DTSC and undertake an alternatives analysis to identify safer substitutes. TPhP is used as a plasticiser to improve the flexibility and durability of nail products but has been linked to liver, endocrine, developmental, neurological and reproductive toxicity. Under California’s Safer Consumer Products Program, DTSC may ultimately require manufacturers to reformulate products or remove them from the market if safer alternatives are available. Separately, DTSC has proposed prohibiting the sale of cleaning products containing hydrofluoric acid or related bifluoride compounds, citing the availability of safer alternatives and the chemical’s severe health risks.

THE WHY? The measures reinforce California’s increasingly stringent approach to chemical safety and are expected to drive reformulation, regulatory compliance and ingredient substitution across the nail care, beauty and household cleaning sectors, with potential implications for manufacturers supplying the US market.

Source: Research HKDC