The UK's Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has concluded that there is insufficient evidence to classify talc as carcinogenic. This assessment contrasts sharply with EU scientific bodies, whose advisers have recommended classifying talc as a Category 1B carcinogen. A ban on talc in cosmetic products within the EU is now anticipated for 2027.
Both the HSE and the European Chemicals Agency’s (ECHA) Risk Assessment Committee (RAC) examined identical scientific data. This data included findings of lung tumours in female rats exposed to talc via inhalation, alongside human studies suggesting a link between cosmetic talc use in the genital area and ovarian cancer. Despite this shared evidence base, the UK's HSE maintains the available data does not support a carcinogenicity classification.
A significant point of consensus remains the danger of talc contaminated with asbestos, a known human carcinogen. The HSE's technical report explicitly prohibits the use of any talc containing even low levels of asbestos. The Cosmetic, Toiletry & Perfumery Association (CTPA) has indicated that, based on the HSE's conclusion, no change in the current use of talc in UK cosmetic products is expected.
This regulatory split creates immediate challenges for brands marketing products in both the UK and the EU. Formulators must now account for differing compliance requirements, ingredient restrictions, and labelling obligations. The divergence on talc follows a similar disagreement in 2025 concerning tea tree oil, where the EU classified it as a reproductive toxicant, while the UK HSE removed this classification. Such inconsistencies highlight a growing complexity for businesses operating across these key markets.
