GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 486
ANSWERED ON: 04.02.2022
Safety Hazards of Mineral oil in Cosmetics
Bhartruhari Mahtab
Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:-

(a) whether the Government has taken note of various studies that highlight health and safety hazards of usage of mineral oil in cosmetics and the other similar products, if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Government is aware that mineral oil, an industrially produced derivative of crude oil, is arbitrarily used in a variety of cosmetics including hair oil and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether crude oil contains many toxins and carcinogenic materials and poorly manufactured mineral oil can retain some of these toxins and if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government to check the use of such adulterated mineral oil; and

(d) whether the Government proposes to make it legally binding for manufacturers to print health warning labels describing the harmful effects of mineral oils on their products using text and/or pictures and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

(DR. BHARATI PRAVIN PAWAR)

(a) to (d): Import, manufacture, sale and distribution of cosmetic products are regulated under the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Cosmetics Rules, 2020. 

No Cosmetic shall be imported or manufactured in the country unless it complies with the standards prescribed under the Ninth Schedule, Cosmetics Rules, 2020 or any other standards of quality and safety, applicable to it, and other provisions under the Rules. The Cosmetics in finished form shall conform to the Indian Standards specifications laid down from time to time by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).

BIS has laid down Indian Standard 7299 (1974): Specification for Mineral Oil for Cosmetic Industry, Indian Standard 4011 (2018): Methods of test for safety evaluation of cosmetics and Indian Standard 7123 (1993): Specification for Hair Oils to ensure that cosmetics products of standard quality are manufactured/imported into the country and the raw materials specified in ANNEX A (Ingredients which must not form part of the composition of cosmetic products) of the Indian Standard IS: 4707 Part 2 (List of raw materials generally not recognized as safe for use in cosmetics) are not be added in cosmetic products to be manufactured or imported in the country.

The license to manufacture Cosmetics is granted by the State Licensing Authorities (SLAs) appointed by respective state governments. In case of any violation, SLAs are empowered to take action under the provision of Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Rules made there under.

One of the conditions of the license is that the manufacturer or licensee shall provide and maintain adequate staff, premises and laboratory equipments for testing the cosmetics manufactured, and the raw materials used for manufacture in such cosmetics.

As per the rules manufacturers are required to comply with Good Manufacturing Practices as prescribed in Seventh Schedule and Good Laboratories practices as prescribed in Eleventh Schedule of Cosmetics Rules, 2020.