A maxi seizure Of carcinogenic cosmetics was carried out by the financial police in Treviso: in 9 activities, both wholesale and retail, they were identified 17,225 products for the make up and for thehygiene. All the products at the center of the seizure had in common the presence of a prohibited ingredient, the Butylphenyl Methylpropional better known as Lilial.
The kidnapping of the Treviso area
The commercial value of the 17,225 products seized by the financial police amounts to approximately 52,000 euros. The municipalities involved are Treviso, Mogliano Veneto, Village, Preganziol And Spresian. The local public prosecutor's office validated the emergency evidentiary seizures of the products and ordered their destruction.
What is Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Butylphenyl Methylpropional (Bmhca) is a substance long used in various cosmetics such as shampoo, shower gel, creams, perfumes, deodorants And shaving foams to infuse a aroma Of thrush. But it was also used in detergents powder for laundry.
In the 2020 has been classified as a reproductive toxicant: tests have shown that it can damage the reproductive system human, cause health problems fetus and cause skin sensitization. From 2022 the European Commission has banned its use in all products, but some manufacturers continue to use it.
Butylphenyl Methylpropional (or Lilial) can no longer be contained in products put on sale starting fromMarch 1, 2022. An update of the annexes of EU regulation 1223/2009 on cosmetic products has allowed manufacturers to be able to dispose of warehouse stocks of products containing Butylphenyl Methylpropional up to March 2023. That date, however, was exceeded in several cases as evidenced by the huge seizure that occurred in September 2023 which affected, among others, well-known and well-advertised body care brands.
At the beginning of April 2024, a seizure in Cilento led to the identification of 1,500 products containing Bmhca, among other harmful substances.
For the relevant references, please refer to EU Regulation 2021/1902 of the Commission of 29 October 2021 which amends Annexes II, III and V of Regulation (EC) no. 1223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council.
What to do if you have a harmful product at home
Today it is rare to come across a product containing Butylphenyl Methylpropional, but not impossible as demonstrated by the large seizure which occurred in the province of Treviso. If you realize that you have purchased a product containing Bmhca, you need to do a reporting to the competent authorities. If you realize that you have an old product containing the prohibited substance at home, avoid emptying its contents into the sink since Butylphenyl Methylpropional is also harmful to the health of aquatic animals. Rather throw the entire package into theundifferentiatedas he suggests Altroconsumo.
In case of doubt (for example if the product label has been altered or covered) you can use the Safety Gate service made available by the European Commission. Just enter the search key Butylphenyl in the field Free Text Search top left. Using it, you can see how even today important brands continue to include Butylphenyl Methylpropional in their products.
