China Releases Detailed Rules on Cosmetic Containing Microbeads

SafeGuardSCosmetics Personal Care and HouseholdAugust 21, 2020

The use of microbeads will be prohibited in rinse-off cosmetic products in China.

China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) released Notice [2020] No.80 on January 16, 2020, to forbid the use of microbeads in cosmetic products.

This included:

A ban on manufacturing cosmetic products containing plastic microbeads – by the end of 2020
A ban on the sale of cosmetic products containing plastic microbeads – by the end of 2022

Further to Notice [2020] No. 80, on July 10, 2020, the NDRC released Notice [2020] No.1146 to give a detailed definition and scope of this prohibition:

Scope of prohibition in cosmetic products:
- Rinse-off cosmetic products intended for scrubbing, exfoliating, and cleaning etc., such as shower gels, facial cleaners, scrubs and shampoos. Toothpastes and toothpowders are also included
Definition of microbeads in cosmetic products:
- Intentionally added plastic particles the size of which is less than 5mm

Manufacturers of cosmetic and personal care products need to be aware of these new restrictions, which will come into force by the end of 2020.

Reference Source:

https://www.ndrc.gov.cn/xxgk/zcfb/tz/202001/t20200119_1219275.html

https://www.ndrc.gov.cn/xxgk/zcfb/tz/202007/t20200717_1233956.html

With the development of new products, regulations for cosmetics, personal care and household are fast changing and increasingly complex. To stay up-to-date with the latest legislation, check out our powerful regulatory compliance platform, SGS Digicomply.

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