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The Argentine health regulator ANMAT has officially incorporated the latest MERCOSUR guidelines on prohibited substances in cosmetics, personal hygiene products, and perfumes into national law. The update follows Resolution GMC No. 07/25, amending the previous Resolution GMC No. 62/14, as part of a broader regional effort to ensure product safety across South America.

The updated list includes a comprehensive set of chemical substances that are now banned from use in consumer products due to safety concerns. Newly added substances include a variety of borates, such as diboron trioxide, boric acid, and multiple borate esters, along with industrial chemicals like polyurethane-18 and -19, dibutyltin hydrogen borate, nickel bis(tetrafluoroborate), diaminotoluene derivatives, and the antifungal ketoconazole. The resolution provides CAS and EINESC numbers for precise identification, ensuring harmonized enforcement across MERCOSUR member states.

In addition to the newly prohibited substances, the regulation modifies existing entries to reflect current scientific understanding and safety assessments. For instance, 4-benzyloxyphenol, 4-ethoxyphenol, and mercury compounds have been updated, while several previously restricted chemicals, including 4-methoxyphenol, benzoyl peroxide, methyl eugenol, hydroquinone, and azelaic acid, have been removed from the list, reflecting their re-evaluated risk profiles and usage conditions.

ANMAT has stipulated strict timelines for compliance: products that were previously registered under the old rules must be reformulated within 12 months, with an extended 18-month period for chemicals such as butylphenyl methylpropional and hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde. This phased approach aims to give manufacturers adequate time to adapt their formulations without disrupting supply chains.

The full annex with the updated list of prohibited substances has been made publicly available through the Boletín Oficial and ANMAT’s website, serving as a key reference for manufacturers, importers, and regulatory authorities.