• 2025.10.22 (Wed)
  • All articles
  • LOGIN
  • JOIN
Global Economic Times
APEC2025KOREA가이드북
  • Synthesis
  • World
  • Business
  • Industry
  • ICT
  • Distribution Economy
  • Korean Wave News
  • Opinion
  • Arts&Culture
  • Sports
  • People & Life
  • Lee Yeon-sil Column
  • Ko Yong-chul Column
  • Photo News
  • New Book Guide
  • Cherry Garden Story
MENU
 
Home > World

EU Bans Key Gel Nail Ingredient Amid Health Concerns, Sending Ripples Through Industry

Greace Nunez Correspondent / Updated : 2025-09-03 08:45:58
  • -
  • +
  • Print

 

Brussels, Belgium - In a landmark decision poised to reshape the European cosmetics landscape, the European Union has enacted a comprehensive ban on trimethylbenzoyl diphenylphosphine oxide, or TPO, a chemical at the heart of the booming gel nail polish industry. The prohibition, which took effect on September 1st, follows a year-long grace period since the regulation's initial announcement in May 2024. This regulatory action, a first of its kind for this specific compound, stems from mounting health concerns and a proactive "precautionary principle" approach to public safety.

TPO has long been a staple in gel nail formulations. Its ability to quickly cure under UV light allows for the rapid hardening of polish and provides the long-lasting, durable finish that has made gel manicures a global sensation. However, the convenience it offers is now being weighed against a growing body of evidence from animal studies. Research has pointed to a range of potential health hazards, including reduced fertility, hormonal disruption, and even carcinogenic properties. Specifically, studies conducted on female rats showed complete infertility, while male rats experienced a reduction in testicular size and sperm depletion.

Despite the absence of large-scale human trials conclusively proving these effects, EU regulators have cited the principle of precaution as the basis for their decision. This preventative measure mandates that all cosmetics containing TPO, not just nail polish, are to be removed from the market. The ban affects all 27 EU member states, as well as allied nations like Norway and Switzerland that adhere to the union's regulatory framework.

The immediate fallout has been significant. Nail salons, retailers, and distributors in these countries are now prohibited from selling or using products containing TPO. Any existing inventory must be immediately discarded. This has put immense pressure on manufacturers, who must now scramble to reformulate their products with alternative, EU-approved ingredients. The European Cosmetics Trade Association has publicly supported the ban, stating that the industry was unable to scientifically demonstrate a viable substitute for TPO, thus negating any request for an exception to the new regulations.

Yet, the ban has not been met with universal approval. Critics within the nail industry argue that the scientific basis for the prohibition is insufficient, pointing to the lack of conclusive human data. Some have created websites and forums to protest the decision, arguing it is an overreaction that will stifle innovation and harm small businesses. A Belgian wholesaler, for example, has launched a website specifically dedicated to opposing the ban.

For consumers, the ban means a temporary reduction in product choices as manufacturers work to develop new, compliant formulations. The industry, facing a major upheaval, is now in a race to innovate, with experts predicting a surge in research and development into new, safer photoinitiators. This regulatory shift could ultimately set a new standard for ingredient safety in the cosmetics industry, not just in Europe but globally.

[Copyright (c) Global Economic Times. All Rights Reserved.]

  • #globaleconomictimes
  • #micorea
  • #mykorea
  • #Lifeplaza
  • #nammidonganews
  • #singaporenewsk
  • #Samsung
  • #Daewoo
  • #Hyosung
  • #A
Greace Nunez Correspondent
Greace Nunez Correspondent

Popular articles

  • Ohtani's Dominant Pitching Performance Wasted in Dodgers' Walk-Off Loss

  • Albert Einstein's 'Beloved Violin' Fetches Record Price at Auction

  • Uruguay Becomes First Latin American Country to Legalize Euthanasia by Law

I like it
Share
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Kakaotalk
  • LINE
  • BAND
  • NAVER
  • https://globaleconomictimes.kr/article/1065570301327450 Copy URL copied.
Comments >

Comments 0

Weekly Hot Issue

  • South Korea to Drastically Increase Domestic LNG Shipping Rate to 70%
  • 'Export Boom-Up Korea Week' Kicks Off as Nation Prepares to Host APEC
  • Japan Elects Ultraconservative Sanae Takaichi as First Female Prime Minister: The 'Female Abe' Ascends
  • Trump Pressured Zelensky to 'Accept Russia's Demands or Be Destroyed,' Report from FT Reveals
  • Kering Sells Beauty Division to L'Oréal for €4 Billion Amid Gucci Slump 
  • NATO Deputy Secretary General Pledges to Strengthen Substantive Cooperation with South Korea, Including Defense Industry

Most Viewed

1
The Imminent Reality: Donald Trump's Unlikelihood for the Nobel Peace Prize as a Destroyer of International Order
2
Renewable Energy Covers 100% of Global Electricity Demand Growth in H1 2025, Marking a Turning Point in the Fossil Fuel Era
3
McDonald's 'Subtle Racism' Controversy: Korean American Denied Order After 70-Minute Wait
4
Early Winter Chill Grips South Korea as Seoraksan Sees First Snow
5
A Chemical Revolution, the Era of Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) Begins: 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
광고문의
임시1
임시3
임시2

Hot Issue

EU States Agree to Complete Phase-Out of Russian Gas by End of 2027

US Ships to be Built in South Korea: Washington Considers Easing Protective Maritime Laws for Alliance Shipbuilding Cooperation

South Korea to Drastically Increase Domestic LNG Shipping Rate to 70%

Japan Elects Ultraconservative Sanae Takaichi as First Female Prime Minister: The 'Female Abe' Ascends

Let’s recycle the old blankets in Jeju Island’s closet instead of incinerating them.

Global Economic Times
korocamia@naver.com
CEO : LEE YEON-SIL
Publisher : KO YONG-CHUL
Registration number : Seoul, A55681
Registration Date : 2024-10-24
Youth Protection Manager: KO YONG-CHUL
Singapore Headquarters
5A Woodlands Road #11-34 The Tennery. S'677728
Korean Branch
Phone : +82(0)10 4724 5264
#304, 6 Nonhyeon-ro 111-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Copyright © Global Economic Times All Rights Reserved
  • 에이펙2025
  • APEC2025가이드북TV
  • 세종시
Search
Category
  • All articles
  • Synthesis
  • World
  • Business
  • Industry
  • ICT
  • Distribution Economy
  • Korean Wave News
  • Opinion
  • Arts&Culture
  • Sports
  • People & Life
  • Lee Yeon-sil Column
  • Ko Yong-chul Column
  • Photo News
  • New Book Guide
  • Cherry Garden Story
  • Multicultural News
  • Jobs & Workers
  • APEC 2025 KOREA GUIDE