California’s passage of the Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Act could trigger a state-level domino effect leading to a federal ban, according to Cruelty Free International’s North America Campaign Manager Monica Engebretson. Meanwhile, the NGO will continue to push for a global ban through the United Nations.

The cosmetics industry likely will want to steer ECHA away from leave-on cosmetics and non-cleansing/exfoliating rinse-off products containing microplastic particles. NGOs and lawmakers in some European member states have called for microplastic bans that include those product categories, which would exceed prohibitions in the US and phase-outs voluntarily undertaken by industry.

At the trade group's annual meeting in Palm Beach, Fla., leadership emphasized the importance of pushing cosmetics reform legislation over the finish line before November midterm elections. PCPC's support of a bipartisan proposal released by the Senate Health Committee largely hinges on preemption, the group indicated.