Waterless Responds to Parliament Bill banning so-called ‘biocides’

A bill being debated in Parliament describes how so-called ‘biocides’ found in toothpastes and body washes wipe out good bacteria in our microbiome and can cause disease.

Waterless Limited was asked to comment regarding this possible new legislation.

Victor Efford, operations director at Waterless, which makes Nilaqua Skin Cleansing Foam, said: “Currently there are effective measures in place to restrict and control levels of biocidal components in cosmetics. The UKs cosmetics legislation 2009/1223, the use of products in medicines overseen by the MHRA and also the biocidal regulation GB BPR, all of whom do a fantastic job monitoring based on the latest evidence.

“Making already available medical devices, prescription based, would add a huge strain to an already suffering NHS, there’s no budget or time for GP appointments and prescriptions; for a previously available product. The answer is not to ban and punish, but to incentivise use of more natural based products, where it is a choice of the consumer to opt for the alternatives themselves. In short, this would have to be done very carefully with a focus on unnecessary cosmetics only.”

Dr Emma Meredith, director general of the Cosmetic Toiletry and Perfumery Association, also commented: “Proposing to restrict the use of biocides in cosmetic products is unnecessary because strict UK laws covering the manufacture and supply of cosmetic products, which have been in place for over 40 years, already address the points raised by the bill.

“By not taking into account this existing robust legislation, one of the unintended consequences of the bill is the potential to unnecessarily ban safe cosmetic preservatives, which are already effectively regulated, and which are essential in protecting us from our cosmetics and personal care products becoming contaminated with harmful microbes.”