European Union’s ban on gel nail polish The toxicity of TPO and how its classification differs

On September 1, the European Union’s ban on gel nail polishes will be put into effect. This ban will remove all gel polish with the chemical Trimethylbenzoyl Diphenylphosphine Oxide (TPO) from European stores and salons, making it unable to be purchased, and illegal to distribute.

Commonly in gel nail polish, TPO is used to help polish last longer. It reacts with UV light to create a protective layer on nail polish, distinguishing it from regular polish. This crucial component of gel nail polish has recently been discovered by a study in the International Journal of Adhesion and Adhesives this past March to cause harm to living organisms. Exposure trials performed on rats showed recurring contact with TPO has resulted in damage to reproductive organs. Although humans are not as impacted, the EU has classified TPO as a carcinogenic, mutagenic, reprotoxic (CMR) chemical. 

Given this classification, TPO violates Regulation European Communities No 1223/2009 of the EU’s policies and guidelines. Section 32, outlines  regulations on all substances classified at CMR. These regulations detail the health guidelines of cosmetic products which must be met in order to be used legally by consumers and professionals alike. This regulation of TPO resulted in a ban because of section nine, as it declares “cosmetic products should be safe under normal or reasonably foreseeable conditions of use. In particular, a risk-benefit reasoning should not justify a risk to human health.” Since TPO has been linked to reproductive damage and has been classified as a CMR the clashes with these regulations has led to it being taken off European shelves. 

What does this mean for Canada?

For worries about what the ban in the EU could mean for Canada, at the time of publication there has been no domestic ban on gel nail polish. This can be attributed to the strict regulations of cosmetics in the EU, which are much more rigid than those in Canada. In the EU, even small traces of toxicity can get a chemical labeled as a CMR and regulated, whereas in Canada, it is not as strict. Small traces are allowed so long as it has not been proven they lead to substantial damage. Although TPO is needed to create the outer cast used in gel nail polish, it is still a very small portion of the ingredients used to make it. Additionally getting one’s nails done with gel nail polish is unlikely to result in fertility or cancer in reproductive organs or on the skin the gel has touched. Due to this low risk, Canadian health and safety guidelines do not view it as a threat. Canada’s loose regulation aligns with other countries, including the United States, whose guidelines also do not qualify it as toxic enough to be banned. 

 

The EU’s decision to ban gel nail polishes containing TPO shows the contrast between Canadian and European health regulations and guidelines. While gel nail polish remains legal and widely used here in Canada, the EU’s actions may prompt further evaluation about cosmetic safety standards worldwide, as more indepth case studies into the effects of TPO may be up for discussion. Regarding whether or not TPO is safe for people to use is still up to interpretation, but Canadian healthcare officials have assured the dosage of TPO in gel nail polish within Canadian borders is low enough it is not a cause for concern.