EU scientific committee clears parabens in cosmetics as ‘harmless’

Parabens, chemical substances widely used in sunscreens and thought to disrupt the human endocrine system, are not posing any health risk in the amounts currently used, according to the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS).

Parabens are currently authorised as preservatives in the EU's Cosmetics Directive at a maximum concentration of 0.4% when used individually or 0.8% when used as a mixture of esters.

• Primary Source

Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety, 03.05.13: Opinion on Parabens http://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/consumer_safety/docs/sccs_o_132.pdf

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