Health Concerns of the Ingredient:
Overall Hazard
Allergies & immunotoxicity
About SODIUM BORATE: Sodium borate (borax) is a naturally occurring mineral based on element boron.
Function(s): pH Adjuster; BUFFERING
Synoym(s): BORAX; BORAX (B4NA2O7.10H2O) ; BORAX GRANULAR; BORIC ACID, DISODIUM SALT; DISODIUM SALT BORIC ACID; PUFFED BORAX; SODIUM TETRABORATE; ANTIPYONIN; BORASCU; BORATES, TETRA, SODIUM SALT, DECAHYDRATE (ACGIH) ; BORATES, TETRA, SODIUM SALTS (DECAHYDRATE)
Use restrictions
| Concern |
Reference |
|---|
| Violation of industry recommendations - Restricted in cosmetics; use, concentration, or manufacturing restrictions - Not safe for use on infant skin (only for products for use on infant skin) | Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments |
| Restricted in cosmetics (recommendations or requirements) - use, concentration, or manufacturing restrictions - Use is restricted in Canadian cosmetics | Canada - Prohibited and Restricted Cosmetics Ingredients |
| Restricted in cosmetics (recommendations or requirements) - use, concentration, or manufacturing restrictions - | CosIng |
| Determined safe for use in cosmetics, subject to concentration or use limitations - Safe for use in cosmetics with some qualifications | Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments |
Developmental/reproductive toxicity
| Concern |
Reference |
|---|
| Limited evidence of reproductive toxicity | European Union - Classification & Labelling |
Multiple, additive exposure sources
| Concern |
Reference |
|---|
| Used in food or as an additive with limited or no toxicity information available | FDA Everything Added to Food |
Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
| Concern |
Reference |
|---|
| Classified as expected to be toxic or harmful | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
| Classified as medium human health priority | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Miscellaneous
| Concern |
Reference |
|---|
| Prohibited for use in food | FDA Food Additive Status |
Ecotoxicology
| Concern |
Reference |
|---|
| Not suspected to be an environmental toxin | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Data gaps
| Concern |
Reference |
|---|
| Risk assessment method deficiencies and data gaps - Maximum reported "as used" concentration is basis of safety assessment by industry safety panel (Cosmetic Ingredient Review, CIR) - implicit safe concentration limit in product | Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments |
| 1,117 studies in PubMed science library may include information on the toxicity of this chemical see search results -> | NLM PubMed |
Persistence and bioaccumulation
| Concern |
Reference |
|---|
| Not suspected to be bioaccumulative | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Data Sources
| CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review). 2006. CIR Compendium, containing abstracts, discussions, and conclusions of CIR cosmetic ingredient safety assessments. Washington DC. |
| CPS&Q (Consumer Products Safety & Quality) formely known as ECB (European Chemicals Bureau). 2008. Classification and Labelling: Chemicals: Annex VI of Directive 67/548/EEC through the 31st ATP. |
| EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry. |
| EU (European Union)- Strategy for Endocrine Disrupters 2007. Commision on endocrin disruption requested by the European Parliament in 1998. |
| European Commission. 2013. Cosing, the European Commission database with information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. Accessed on March 1, 2013 at http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/cosmetics/cosing/ . |
| FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) 2006. Food Additive Status List. Downloaded from http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/%7Edms/opa-appa.html, Oct 16, 2006. |
| FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration). 2008. EAFUS [Everything Added to Food]: A Food Additive Database. FDA Office of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. |
| Health Canada. 2007. List of Prohibited and Restricted Cosmetic Ingredients. Canada's Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist. March 2007. |
| NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2006. HazMap — Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Agents. |
| NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2012. PubMed online scientific bibliography data. http://www.pubmed.gov. |
Products Containing the Ingredient
About the ratings
EWG provides information on personal care product ingredients from the published scientific literature, to supplement incomplete data available from companies and the government. The ratings below indicate the relative level of concern posed by exposure to the ingredients in this product - not the product itself - compared to other product formulations. The ratings reflect potential health hazards but do not account for the level of exposure or individual susceptibility, factors which determine actual health risks, if any.
Learn more |
Legal Disclaimer
