No. 1031 - Miljøstyrelsen

5 Alternatives
The use of some types of siloxanes is regarded potentially to cause problems
to the aquatic environment and human health. The investigation on alternatives
has therefore focussed on product groups where the risk of exposure to
humans and releases to the aquatic environment is regarded to be present.
The investigation has focused on the following product groups:
• Cosmetics;
• Cleaning agents, waxes and polishes.
The information in this chapter is based on telephone interviews with manufacturers
and suppliers of both siloxanes and alternatives to siloxanes.
In the following chapter the names of the compounds when they are used in
cosmetic products (INCI names) will be used. Dimethicone is synonymous
with linear polydimethylsiloxane, cyclopentasiloxane with decamethylcyclopentasiloxane
and cyclomethicone with cyclic siloxanes, either pure or in
mixtures.
5.1 Alternatives to siloxanes in cosmetic products
The investigation has primarily focused on the siloxanes cyclomethicone and
dimethicone, which are commonly used in the cosmetics industry. Cyclomethicone
is volatile and is furthermore suspected to cause different types of
health and environmental problems.
As mentioned in section 2.2.4 the siloxanes have many applications in the
different types of cosmetic products, and the siloxanes have very specific
properties depending on the composition of the compounds. Because of this it
is not possible to find just one alternative for e.g. cyclomethicone, as cyclomethicone
can have many different applications and compositions depending
on the product in which the substance is used.
The alternatives for siloxanes must therefore be very specific, as they have to
comply with the special characteristics that the given siloxane has in the given
product.
The use of alternatives to siloxanes in cosmetic products is still modest. The
Danish suppliers of both siloxanes and alternatives to siloxanes have so far not
experienced great demand for alternatives, but most of the contacted suppliers
expect an increased demand for alternatives in the coming years. The suppliers
have consequently started to develop alternatives to especially cyclomethicone
and dimethicone.
It has so far been a difficulty that some of the properties of siloxanes are lacking
in the developed alternatives. For soaps and leave-on products (lotions
and creams for skin) the siloxanes can give the product the combination
'smooth and soft feeling' on the skin combined with the effect that the product
does not feel greasy on the skin after application. These properties are ob-
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