Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating TiO2 and Prop 65

  • Chemist77

    Member
    October 8, 2014 at 11:18 am

    The boon of ‘X’ FREE or ‘Y’ FREE or ‘Z’ FREE has become the bane for the industry and has provided ample opportunities for any tom, dick and harry to spread fear mongering at the drop of a hat. 

  • Bobzchemist

    Member
    October 8, 2014 at 1:10 pm

    In all honesty, I think that these PIA lawyers deserve to be charged with attempted murder - or even actual murder - or at least negligent homicide.The number of lives lost from the increased cases of melanoma that is conclusively linked to unprotected exposure to the sun far outweighs the potential danger to the public from the unproven, tenuous, may-be-possible connection between titanium dioxide and cancer.

    It would not surprise me in the least to find out that these lawyers are being paid by a zinc oxide manufacturer, or some other sunscreen supplier attempting to increase business.
    I think that this behavior is reprehensible. Unfortunately, it’s about what I expect from lawyers.
  • OldPerry

    Member
    October 8, 2014 at 1:23 pm

    The thing I find most fascinating about this lawsuit is that none of the big companies are settling.  Why not?  I guess they have the money to drag it out?

  • Iaskedbetter

    Member
    October 8, 2014 at 1:50 pm

    @Perry That appears to be the most logical explanation. I imagine the cost for a prolonged legal battle for a small company would be crippling. Some (most?) probably don’t even employ a legal staff for situations like this. Larger companies almost certainly have the wherewithal - both from a monetary standpoint and an ethical standpoint - to combat these clowns. 

  • OldPerry

    Member
    October 8, 2014 at 2:28 pm

    I wonder (if ultimately the judgment does in favor of the safety of TiO2), the companies will get refunded the money they paid out for the settlement.   :))

  • Sarah

    Member
    October 14, 2014 at 6:33 pm

    Are the companies pulling TiO2 out of all of their products or just the powdered mineral make up formats? i.e. if a sunscreen contained TiO2  would the manufacturer have to put up the big warning display in store? 


    I’m a Kiwi and our company is just starting to develop a presence in California so it is all new to me :P 
  • shapeshifterstudio

    Member
    October 14, 2014 at 6:39 pm

    Interesting, I’m new to this and taking note of all the controversial SPF ingredients I hear about and had never heard a whisper of titanium dioxide being one of them, only oxybenzone and PABAs.

  • Microformulation

    Member
    October 15, 2014 at 10:00 am

    I have been following the TiO2 issue under Prop 65 for a year or so now. Looking at the big picture I doubt it is banned in Cosmetics, but that is just my opinion.

    I think if there is any real threat to TiO2 and ZnO in Cosmetics it would be due to the “perceived” threat to the environment. Here is a link to an article which outlines the issue; http://www.environmental-expert.com/articles/effects-of-titanium-dioxide-tio2-nanoparticles-on-caribbean-reef-building-coral-montastraea-faveolat-415564

    Is the Science fully developed and well studied? No, at least not yet. As we saw with parabens this isn’t a factor. It all rests on how much attention it garners and how much weight marketers place on the issues. As we all know in these cases the science becomes secondary yo the marketing.

  • RawMaterialGirl

    Member
    November 17, 2014 at 12:41 am

    TiO2 is only “known to cause cancer in the state of California” when it is in the unbound, respirable form. So you’ll likely see non-powder products being sold in CA that don’t have to have that warning, since the TiO2 is not air-borne.

    The workaround, I would imagine, is if you can utilize liquid binders in the powder. While the TiO2 would be air-borne, it would not be unbound and thus not subject to have the cancer-causing warning on the label.

  • Sarah

    Member
    November 17, 2014 at 2:52 pm
    I had an email from a supplier yesterday stating the following:

    “Please be informed that the enclosed press release was sent out to journalists last week.

     Earlier this year, the Scientific Committee for Consumer Safety (SCCS) assessed the use of titanium dioxide in its nano form, and concluded that it is safe to use as a UV filter in cosmetic products for dermal application when it fulfills the characteristics specified by the SCCS. “
  • Bill_Toge

    Member
    November 18, 2014 at 5:30 am

    further to @Sarah‘s comment, the full text of that opinion can be found here:

    http://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/consumer_safety/docs/sccs_o_136.pdf

    (skip to page 103 for the conclusion)

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