- Aromatherapy
- Our Health, Our CAM, Our Say NHS Modernisation and the Integration of CAM
- Clinical Aromatherapy in Cancer Care
- Using essential oils to treat the face and skin
- Ayurveda
- Removing Toxins The Natural Way
- Chavutti Thirumal An Intoduction To A Unique Massage Therapy
- Complementary Therapies
- Introduction to Massage Essentials for Health
- The Magic Pill Within
- What is sports massage?
- Health
- Stress, and why we need massage therapies
- The Magic Pill Within
- On Site Massage & Complementary Therapy in the workplace
Tea Tree Oil Update
04/05/2008 - By Sylvia Baker The European Scientific Committee on Consumer Products (SCCP) adopted a scientific Opinion (SCCP/0834/04) on Tea Tree Oil on 7th December 2004, see the web link: http://europa.eu.int/comm/health/
ph_risk/committees/04_sccp/docs/sccp_o_018.pdfThe SCCP stated that "The sparse data available suggest that the use of undiluted Tea Tree as a commercial product is not safe" (SCCP/08438/04). The SCCP originally required that the Tea Tree industry filed a safety dossier with it by December 2005 and stated that an opinion would then be given based on the information available at that time.
Industry responded by forming a Task Force Committee from experts around the world under the auspices of ATTIA (Australian Tea Tree Industry Association), see www.attia.org.au, who were charged with the task of co-ordinating the development of the required safety dossier. Extensions of time were sought and secured from the SCCP with a final filing date for the dossier of 31 March 2007. ATTIA reported in May that their Technical & Safety Committee (TAS) had submitted the Safety Dossier for Tea Tree Oil to the SCCP. Further information is also available from the Australian Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation (RIRDC), see website www.rirdc.gov.au. The Dossier has been received and is now undergoing review and consideration by the SCCP and SANCO (the Directorate General for Health & Consumer Affairs) in Brussels ahead of a recommendation being made about the use of Tea Tree Oil as a cosmetic ingredient in Europe.
ATTIA reports that TAS worked solidly for over two years and received wonderful support from many experts around the world. The Dossier was thoroughly reviewed by many expert colleagues. The Committee avoided further animal testing and have argued for the strong safety record of Tea Tree Oil. The findings in the dossier add considerable support to this position. The data within the dossier will be available publicly in time, but much of the work is yet to be published and steps are now underway to make this happen. However, the data has not yet been reviewed by the SCCP.
The SCCP has now confirmed via their website under the link: http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_risk/
committees/04_sccp/docs/sccp_q_172.pdf, that the dossier was submitted by the end of March 2007 and they have tabled the question of Tea Tree Oil safety as follows:
1. Background
Tea tree oil is the essential oil obtained from Melaleuca alternifolia, Melaleuca linariifolia and Melaleuca dissitiflora as well as other species of Melaleuca provided that the oil conforms to the requirements given in ISO 4730-2004.
The following types of application for cosmetic products are given in the dossier:
Skin-care products incl. post-waxing treatments up to 1.25%
Hair-care products up to 2.0%
Nail-care products up to 20%
Oral hygiene up to 0.2%
Personal hygiene incl. shaving products up to 2%.
The undiluted product might be used for other purposes as well, i.e., aromatherapy.
2. Terms of reference
1. On the basis of the data provided, does the SCCP consider the use of Tea Tree Oil safe for consumers when used in cosmetic products in concentrations as mentioned above?
2. Does the SCCP have any safety concerns regarding the use of Tea Tree Oil as an undiluted product?
3. Due to stability and auto-oxidation characteristics of Tea Tree Oil upon use and storage does the SCCP find it important, for safety reasons, to have a date of minimum durability after opening Tea Tree Oil products or any product containing
Tea Tree Oil or any other recommendations?
We now await the final SCCP Opinion on Tea Tree Oil based on the industry dossier.
New requirements for material safety data sheets (SDS)
Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) are a MUST if a chemical (e.g., an essential oil) is dangerous and supplied for use at work, irrespective of whether it is supplied in bulk or retail packaging. The current Regulations require the supplier to send a copy of the SDS to the recipient the first time the chemical is provided. If the SDS is updated, then a revised copy needs to be sent to those recipients who have received the chemical within the last 12 months. SDSs need not be supplied when a chemical is sold to the public where it is not for use at work and sufficient information is given, e.g., on the label, to enable recipients to take the necessary measures to ensure health and safety.
REACH (the new European Chemicals Policy) entered into force on 1st June 2007 and will be introduced progressively until 2018. REACH Regulation 1907/2006/EC has been subject to major corrections and the revised version was published in the Official Journal of the EU, L 136, of 29 May 2007, see the link http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/
en/oj/2007/l_136/l_13620070529en00030280.pdf
As from 1st June 2007, there are new requirements for Safety Data Sheets under REACH. The requirements are laid down under:
Article 31 (requirements for safety data sheets)
"Guide to compilation of safety data sheets" under Annex II of the Regulation
In particular, it should be noted that there are formal changes in the headings and that there are also material changes compared with the current safety data sheets required by EU Safety Sheets Directive 91/155/EC. It should be particularly noted that under REACH for SDS where a Chemical Safety Report has been produced the SDS must be broadly consistent with it and specific safety data and information on exposure scenarios, including use and exposure categories, is required to be included as an annexe to the SDS.
Although the new requirements entered into force on 1st June, 2007, companies are not forced to immediately amend or renew their SDS. Safety data sheets complying with the criteria of EU Directive 91/155/EC can continue to be used, but necessary amendments should be incorporated at the next revision of the SDS. Several details required under the new SDS system cannot be considered yet, e.g., registration number under REACH or exposure scenario; this obligation does not apply before 1st June, 2008.
© Sylvia Baker, ATC - Dept TT,
PO Box 387, Ipswich IP2 9AN
Email: info@a-t-c.org.uk
Website: www.a-t-c.org.uk
Tel/Fax: 01473 603630