The SCCS considers that the present threshold (0.05%) does not sufficiently protect consumers sensitized to formaldehyde from exposure to free formaldehyde from formaldehyde releasers.
Reducing the present threshold by a factor of 50, that is, to 0.001% (10 ppm), will protect the vast majority of consumers sensitized to formaldehyde. This threshold applies to the total free formaldehyde irrespective of whether a product contains one or more formaldehyde releaser(s).
Formaldehyde-releasers were defined as: (i) substances that release formaldehyde as a result of decomposition and/or (ii) chemicals synthesized from formaldehyde that may still contain residues of free formaldehyde.