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India Introduces Regulations For Heavy Metals in Cosmetics

Testing Heavy Metals in Cosmetics
Testing Heavy Metals in Cosmetics

In the wake of certain imported cosmetic products found to be containing spurious materials, especially heavy metals in cosmetics, which are hazardous to the body, the government of India has issued regulations regarding registration and testing of all the imported cosmetic products. However, the imported cosmetic items which are not meant to be sold in the Indian market are out of this bound.

The regulation is effective from October 1, 2011. As per the Indian Drugs and Cosmetics Act of 1940, the registration could be issued by the office of the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) or his nominee.

For registration fee for each cosmetics brand has been decided to be USD 250. The fee could be paid in USD or equivalent Indian rupee, directly by the manufacturer, or by the designated distributor or the agent. The regulation also contains guidelines for the testing of cosmetics products for heavy metals, whereby the products could be tested in a laboratory authorized by the government.

The time period for issuance of the registration certificate will be within six months from the date of submission of the application form and the required documents including test report for heavy metals in cosmetics. The duration of a registration certificate will be for a period of three years from the date of its issue unless it is suspended or canceled sooner for some reason.

It is also mandatory that the label of imported cosmetics would have the registration number of the product and the name and address of the registration certificate holder for sale of the product in India.

As per the Drug and Cosmetics Act, India prohibits the manufacture and import of any cosmetic products containing hexachlorophene, lead, arsenic or mercury compounds.

There are specified permitted limits for the synthetic organic colors and natural organic colors used and heavy metals in the cosmetics. The number of heavy metals in cosmetic shall not exceed:

  • 2 parts per million of arsenic calculated as arsenic trioxide.
  • 20 parts per million of lead calculated as lead.
  • 100 parts per million of heavy metals other than lead calculated as the total of the respective metals

We have three states of the art laboratories in Delhi, Baddi and Bangalore approved by CDSCO ad routinely carry out testing of heavy metals in cosmetics and various other tests required for registration of cosmetic products in India for leading cosmetic companies, importers and traders.

Contact us today using the quick query form on the right or call us at +91-11-45754575 and our experts will provide you a complete solution for import registration and testing of cosmetics in India. 

 

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