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Washington State Issues Proposed Rule Banning Formaldehyde and Formaldehyde Releasers in Cosmetics

Feb. 12 2025

As part of the Washington State Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act (HB 1047 2023-2024), the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) was tasked to identify formaldehyde releasers in cosmetics that may be subject to restriction. On February 6, 2025, Ecology published the proposed rule identifying 28 formaldehyde releaser ingredients.

The proposed rule would ban intentionally added formaldehyde releasers effective January 1, 2027 in cosmetics and products classified as both cosmetics and drugs. The ban permits a one-year sell through period to exhaust existing stock.

The following 28 ingredients were identified as formaldehyde releasers:

  • DMDM Hydantoin
  • Diazolidinyl Urea
  • Imidiazolidinyl Urea
  • Quaternium-15
  • Tosylamide/Formaldehyde Resin (PTSAF)
  • 2-Bromo-2-Nitropropane-1,3-Diol (Bronopol)
  • Sodium Hydroxymethyl-glycinate
  • Polyoxymethylene Urea
  • Glyoxal
  • Polyoxymethylene Melamine
  • 5-Bromo-5-Nitro-1,3-Dioxane (Bronidox)
  • 7-Ethylbicyclo-oxazolidine (Bioban CS1246)
  • Benzylhemiformal
  • Dimethylhydantoin formaldehyde (DMHF)
  • Dimethylol Glycol
  • Dimethylol Urea
  • Dimethyl Oxazolidine
  • Glyoxylic Acid (when used in heat-activated hair straighteners)
  • Glyoxylol Carbocysteine (when used in heat-activated hair straighteners)
  • MDM Hydantoin
  • Methenamine
  • Methylal
  • Paraformaldehyde
  • Polyoxymethylene
  • Tetramethylol-glycoluril
  • Timonacic (when used in heat-activated hair straighteners)
  • Tris (hydroxymethyl) nitromethane
  • Urea, polymer with formaldehyde, isobutylated

There are two public hearings scheduled for March 31st and April 1st, 2025. Comment period ends on April 11, 2025.

Link to proposed rule: https://ecology.wa.gov/getattachment/e34c9041-9364-476d-b072-d5af6294e58f/RDS-5886-6-For-Filing.pdf

Link to general website with more information on the rulemaking process: https://ecology.wa.gov/about-us/who-we-are/news/2025/feb-6-tfca-formaldehyde-releasers-rulemaking-proposal 

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