Chemicals of emerging concern in household products: a case study on the disposal of cosmetics in the United Kingdom

Abstract

Household products may contain chemicals of emerging concern (CECs) and their use and disposal can contribute to CECs being released to the environment with the potential to cause concern. Cosmetic products were used to exemplify the source-pathway-effect relationship for CECs, by investigating the use of cosmetics as a prospective pollutant source, their disposal, as a pathway for environmental contamination and, the potential need for effective management of CECs in products. Emphasis was placed on the Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals (REACH) legislation as a framework to consider the use of regulation to facilitate the assessment and management of CECs in household products. The CECs present in cosmetic products were identified, validated and quantified and, their potential environmental risks were assessed using a methodology developed under the REACH legislation guidelines. Findings demonstrated that once released in the environment, nanomaterials and triclosan have the potential to affect both aquatic and terrestrial organisms. Multi-criteria analysis was used to assess alternative risk management options for the use and disposal of these CECs in cosmetic products. The analysis indicated the need to manage some CECs in cosmetics to minimize the potential for environmental contamination. REACH has the potential to facilitate the management of these chemicals by shifting the legislative focus from disposal to prevention and minimization. The guidelines under REACH could be amended to improve the risk assessment and management process for CECs. This research demonstrated the efficacy of modifying the guidelines to produce sound assessments, whilst emphasising the need for effective management of CECs in cosmetic products.