Phthalates in Sunscreen Products

The presence of plasticizer components found in children's urine stirred concerns in early 2024. We clarify the current situation.

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At the beginning of 2024, several press reports highlighted the detection of the substance mono-n-hexyl phthalate (MnHexP) in urine samples from children and adults. These tests were conducted by the German Environment Agency (UBA) and the State Office for Nature, Environment, and Consumer Protection of North Rhine-Westphalia (LANUV) as part of a study.

The reason for these findings could be di-n-hexyl phthalate (DnHexP), a substance that was previously widely used as a plasticizer in plastics. However, this substance can also appear as a by-product in sunscreen products. The Chemical and Veterinary Investigations Office in Karlsruhe (CVUA) found concentrations of 0.3 to 16 ppm in various sunscreen products. The source appears to be the UV filter DHHB, which has been increasingly used in recent years to replace other UV filters that are now banned. DnHexP may be present as an unwanted by-product.

In its statement of March 21, 2024 (017/2024 "MnHexP in Urine Samples: Health Risk Assessment"), the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) concluded that the concentrations found "pose no cause for concern" from a health perspective. It is essential that consumers are not unsettled by these findings and continue using sunscreen to protect themselves from harmful UV radiation.

 

How is FRIKE handling this issue?

FRIKE also uses the UV filter DHHB in sunscreen products. Since the by-product DnHexP is prohibited in cosmetics, even as an impurity, only unavoidable traces are allowed. This means that extra care must be taken during the production of the DHHB UV filter.

FRIKE's quality policy is to source only high-quality raw materials with minimal by-products. External analyses of customer products have shown that the sunscreens manufactured by us contain only extremely low levels of DnHexP – so low that they are nearly at the detection limit. Thanks to our high-quality standards, FRIKE was able to support customers contacted by authorities with reliable data in a monitoring campaign.

If you have any questions on this topic, please contact your FRIKE representative.

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