Förekomst av PFAS i kosmetiska produkter

Sammanfattning: Poly- or perfluorinated alkylated substances (PFAS) have characteristics of being temperature resistant and film-forming as well as being both water-, dirt and fatretardant. These substances are used both industrially and in consumer products like cosmetics, simultaneously the detected levels of PFAS are rising in the Swedish environment and there is concern since several PFAS are toxic, bioaccumulative and very persistent to degradation in the environment. This study examines the occurrence of PFAS as ingredients in cosmetic products and how trade organizations for producers and retailers of cosmetic products work to prevent that their members’ products contain substances that may be hazardous to human health and the environment. A third aim was to investigate how PFAS is regulated in the EU-legislation and how this affects producers and retailers of cosmetic products. An inventory of PFAS in cosmetic products from trademarks on the Swedish market was made as well as interviews with trade organizations and a compilation of how the EU-legislation regulates PFAS. The study shows that the occurrence of PFAS in cosmetic products is low (4,4% of the inventoried products contained PFAS). Regarding how trade organizations prevents their members use of substances that may be hazardous to human health and the environment the study shows that they mainly inform their members of current legislation with very little voluntary preventative measures being done outside of what the legislation demands. The study also shows that only a few PFAS are being regulated by the EU-legislation and that many of the regulations only apply to a single substance (PFOS). Regarding how the legislation affects producers and retailers of cosmetic products the study shows that the legislation should have a minor impact regarding the regulation of these substances.