Of all products checked, 285 (6%) contained banned substances that could reduce fertility, increase the risk of cancer or cause other serious health problems.
Contaminated products include eyeliner, lip liner, conditioner and hair masks.
ECHA states that in checks carried out between November 2023 and April 2024, these toxic substances were found in products “from various sellers and in all price categories”. The discovered substances are banned under both the Stockholm Convention and EU law.
After the checks, the authorities withdrew all non-conforming products from the market. ECHA states that consumers can easily check the presence of these substances by reading the ingredients list on the packaging.
The countries where controls were carried out were Austria, Denmark, Germany, Finland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Romania and Sweden.
(source: AFP)
