On March 15, 2016 the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) informed that its Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC) decided on restricting the placing on the market of octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4, CAS 556-67-2) and decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5, CAS 541-02-6). RAC thus agrees with the proposal submitted by the United Kingdom (UK) to restrict D4 and D5. Also ECHA’s Committee for Scocio-Economic Analysis (SEAC) agreed on a draft opinion in support of UK’s proposal. The restriction targets the use of D4 and D5 in personal care products for use with water, such as shower gels, shaving foams, and shampoos.
D4 and D5 are high production volume chemicals (HPVCs) in the EU and are directly used in personal care products, cosmetics, cleaning products, and other products. D4 and D5 are also intermediates in the manufacture of silicone polymers and can occur in silicone food contact materials (FCMs) as non-intentionally added substances (NIAS). D4 is included in the FACET inventory of FCMs. D4 is a persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) substance and D5 has very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB) properties. Further, D4 is classified as a possible reprotoxic chemical and categorized as an endocrine disruptor on the SIN List.
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ECHA (March 15, 2016). “Committee for Risk Assessment concludes on restricting D4 and D5.”
ECHA (March 15, 2016). “Committee for Socio-economic Analysis concludes on restricting methanol.”
