France asks the European Union to reduce dramatically since 2027, to protect the environment, the use of Octocrileno, a UV filter that is executed in solar creams and makeup, that of its health agencies judges easy to replace reasonable costs.
“Every year, more than 1,500 tons of octocrileno are used in cosmetic products in Europe,” contaminate aquatic environments and soils that lead to “unacceptable risks” for “reproduction and growth of aquatic species” (shrimp, fish, seaweed) and organizations “terrestrial”, argues the National Health Security Agency (ANSES), which has educated this request.
Because this chemical, used as “UV filter, UV ray absorbent and photographic stabilization” in about 30% of solar products, but also makeup, day creams or perfumes “, is found in domestic wastewater”, on the ground through the “purification station” and “also pollutes the lakes, rivers and expensive seas during the bathrooms.”
Beyond its harmful effects on aquatic species, this toxic substance, which accumulates and persists in the environment in very high amounts, arouses concerns for human health.
Health risk, rejection in the environment …
Therefore, ANS evoke possible toxic effects for thyroid and reproduction. Octocrileno could also be an endocrine disruptor, but manufacturers have not provided the necessary data to evaluate this last risk, the agency specifies, which has examined the substance since 2012.
If “we find significant amounts in solar creams”, with a maximum concentration of 10% authorized by European regulations, “downloads to the environment are multiple” and depend “on the types of products, sales volumes,” explains Stéphane Jomini, manager of scientific projects in ANSES.
Anses has thus developed, on behalf of France, a proposal aimed at “drastically reduce” the authorized concentration of octocrileno in cosmetics to “preserve the environment”, within the framework of the scope of the European regulation, which frames the manufacture and use of chemical substances in the EU.
Improve the quality of aquatic environments
This restriction would lead “in practice to the abolition of placing in the market” of cosmetics containing octocrileno: Anses does not require its prohibition because it can be present as impurity in certain products, but at this new maximum level, its properties would be ineffective.
After evaluating the “socioeconomic impacts” of this measure, the agency judges “moderate” the additional costs induced by a manufacture of solar products with an “alternative association: 39 million euros per year from 2027 to 2036, or 0.04% of sales of cosmetic products in Europe in Europe.
In view of the “current margins of manufacturers in these products, these costs would be absorbed without too much difficulty,” Karine Fiore, deputy director of the ANS social sciences, told AFP. In fact, “there have already been solar creams for several years without an Octocrylene,” he says.
The Health Agency has also measured acceptability by consumers of possible price increases in these products, through a survey of 7,200 people in six European countries.
Result: the price that are ready to pay “far exceeds the costs generated by the restriction”, which attests “the will of Europeans to act to improve the quality of aquatic environments,” according to it.
This proposal is in public consultation on the website of the European Agency for Chemical Products (ECHA) until March 24, 2026. Its two committees (risk assessment, socioeconomic analysis) should make their opinions in September 2026, which allows the European Commission to decide on the application of this restriction in the EU as soon as possible in 2027.
Source: BFM TV
