In January, the LANUV detected a degradation product of the questionable plasticizer di-n-hexyl phthalate in urine samples from children aged 2 to 6 years. Since then, many parents have been feeling uncertain . One suspect is a particularly effective UV filter in sun creams.
The most important thing first: Since our products are certified natural cosmetics, which are not allowed to contain the suspected UV filter DHHB (diethylamino hydroxybenzoyl benzoate), you don't need to worry about our products. Nevertheless, we would also like to comment on this topic and have summarized the most important information for you in a nutshell.
- What are plasticizers?
- Why are plasticizers a concern?
- What is MnHexP and DnHexP?
- Plasticizers in sunscreen: Which sun protection filter is under suspicion?
- Sunscreen without plasticizers - what you should pay attention to
What are plasticizers?
Plasticizers are chemical substances that give flexibility and plasticity, especially to plastics. They are used in a wide variety of products, from packaging to cosmetics. In sunscreens, they are used to improve texture.
Why are plasticizers a concern?
Over time, the so-called plasticizers can escape from the products and thus enter the environment. Here they can of course be absorbed by people. Plasticizers, which include the phthalates described above but also parabens, are suspected of causing hormonal disorders and thus affecting health.
What is MnHexP and DnHexP?
Mono-n-hexyl phthalate (MnHexP) is the degradation product of di-n-hexyl phthalate (DnHexP), a substance that has been on the list of substances of very high concern since 2013. For this reason, this metabolite is no longer permitted as a plasticizer in cosmetics, food contact materials and toys throughout Europe.
Despite the ban, mono-n-hexyl phthalate was detected in more than 60% of the urine samples examined (2020/21). An exact cause or source of the detected MnHexP contamination in the urine of the children examined could not yet be found.
Plasticizers in sunscreen: Which sun protection filter is under suspicion?
There is a suspicion that the UV filter DHHB, which is sometimes used in sunscreens, has been contaminated with DnHexP. In the search for possible sources for the worrying findings, the Karlsruhe Chemical and Veterinary Investigation Office (CVUA) therefore examined 57 different sunscreen products from 2020 to 2023 for their DnHexP content.
In fact, DnHexP of 0.3 to 16 mg/kg was detected in 21 of 57 samples in which the UV filter DHHB was also used. However, not all samples containing the UV filter DHHB were contaminated with DnHexP, so a correlation between the phthalate levels and the UV filter could not be confirmed.
In addition, LANUV's studies also found values above the limit of detection in children who did not explicitly use sun protection products. It is suspected that, in addition to sun protection products, other sources such as clothing, plastic children's toys or even house dust may be responsible for the MnHexP contamination. The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) also sees "no cause for increased concern" after the survey.
Sunscreen without plasticizers - what you should pay attention to
If you still want to be on the safe side, we recommend that you pay close attention to the ingredients when buying your sun protection products - or simply use certified natural cosmetics. Certified natural cosmetics do not contain either phthalates or parabens and can therefore be used without hesitation in this context.
Our purely mineral UV filter made from zinc oxide also works immediately without any exposure time and is therefore ideal for safe sun protection for babies and children.
Sources:
New findings of plasticizer in children's urine. Press release from the State Office for Nature, Environment and Consumer Protection North Rhine-Westphalia, January 31, 2024 https://www.lanuv.nrw.de/landesamt/veroeffentlichungen/pressemitteilungen/details/4157-neue-funde-von-weichmacher-im-kinderurin#:~:text=Found during a suspected investigation in the period 202020%2F21
Plasticizer metabolite MnHexP in children's urine. Press release from the State Office for Nature, Environment and Consumer Protection North Rhine-Westphalia, March 13, 2024 https://www.lanuv.nrw.de/landesamt/veroeffentlichungen/pressemitteilungen/details/4225-weichmachermetabolit-mnhexp-im-kinderurin
Determination of pollutants and pollutant metabolites in the urine of 2- to 6-year-old children in North Rhine-Westphalia: LANUV follow-up investigation for the plasticizer metabolite mono-n-hexyl phthalate (MnHexP). Report of the State Office for Nature, Environment and Consumer Protection North Rhine-Westphalia, V.01/2024 https://www.lanuv.nrw.de/fileadmin/lanuv/gesundheit/pdf/2024/2024-01_Nachuntersuchung_DnHexP.pdf
Discovery of a plasticizer in urine samples - Questions & Answers. Information from the Federal Environment Agency, February 6, 2024 https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/themen/fund-eines-weichmachers-in-urinproben-fragen
Banned plasticizer as a contaminant in sunscreens? – First test results. CVUA Karlsruhe, March 4, 2024 https://www.ua-bw.de/pub/beitrag.asp?subid=2&Thema_ID=4&ID=3940&lang=DE&Pdf=No
