IngredientsEuropean Union
Zinc pyrithione in EU cosmetics: status and maximum concentration
INCI ZINC PYRITHIONE · CAS 13463-41-7
EU status: Prohibitedtraces only if unavoidable
Data from Certo’s regulatory database as of
Some rows corrected against the legal texts on
The short answer
Zinc pyrithione is prohibited in cosmetic products sold in the European Union (traces only if unavoidable). The ban is set in Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, Annex II, entry 1670. Article 17 of that Regulation tolerates only non-intended traces that are technically unavoidable, provided the product stays safe.
EU legal requirements
| Product type or use | Limit | Conditions and label wording | Applies from |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU Cosmetics Regulation, Annex II 1670 Legal text | |||
| Added on purpose | Not allowed | — | In force |
| EU Cosmetics Regulation, Art. 17 Legal text | |||
| A trace only | — | Tolerated only as a non-intended trace (from impurities, manufacturing, storage or migration from packaging) that is technically unavoidable under good manufacturing practice, and only if the product remains safe (Article 3). The product safety report must contain evidence of that unavoidability (Annex I, Part A, point 4). | In force |
What the texts say
Reference number: 1670 Chemical name/INN: Pyrithione zinc; (T-4)- bis[1-(hydroxy-.kappa.O)pyridine-2(1H)- thionato-.kappa.S]zinc CAS number: 13463-41-7 EC number: 236-671-3
In the case of traces of prohibited substances, evidence for their technical unavoidability.
Sources
- Reg. (EC) No 1223/2009, Annex II, entry 1670
- Reg. (EC) No 1223/2009, Annex I, Part A, point 4; Art. 17
This page is general regulatory information, not legal advice. Rely on the legal texts linked above and on your own regulatory experts before making a compliance decision.