Poor Cosmetic Ingredient NOAEL Data GHS Classified

Diethylene Glycol

INCI: DIETHYLENE GLYCOL

CAS Number
111-46-6
Function
Solvent, Viscosity Controlling
Safety Rating
POOR

Regulatory Status

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡บ EU Status restricted
EU Max Conc. Subject to Annex III concentration and purity conditions
๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ US Status restricted
US Notes FDA issued Import Alert IA6674 to block DEG-containing toothpaste and developed GC-MS screening method for DEG at >=0.1% w/w. Primarily regulated as a contaminant and adulterant risk in glycerin and PEG-based raw materials.

For full compliance data across 55 jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.

Safety Data

Margin of Safety (MoS)
not established
Dermal Absorption
low
Sensitization
none

Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.

Toxicological Studies

2 study endpoints found for Diethylene Glycol. NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) values are used to calculate the Margin of Safety per SCCS methodology.

Endpoint Value Route Species Study Type Source
NOAEL 50 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Chronic COSMOS_DB
LOAEL 100 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Chronic COSMOS_DB

GHS Hazard Classification

Globally Harmonized System classification per ECHA C&L inventory and ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Cards.

Signal Word
DANGER
Pictograms
excl mark;warn; cancer;health haz
Hazard Statements
Harmful if swallowed Causes damage to kidneys if swallowed May cause drowsiness and dizziness
Short-term Exposure Effects
The substance may cause effects on the kidneys. This may result in kidney impairment. Ingestion could cause effects on the central nervous system and liver. Ingestion could cause death.
Routes of Exposure
The substance can be absorbed into the body by ingestion.

Expert Verdict

DEG should not be intentionally formulated into cosmetic products. It is restricted under EU Annex III, prohibited in China and Canada, and banned in oral cosmetics above 0.25% in Australia. Its primary hazard is as a contaminant in glycerin and glycol-based raw materials, associated with mass poisoning incidents.

โš ๏ธ
Concern Level: High

Regulatory Flags

restricted-eu prohibited-china prohibited-canada contaminant-risk renal-toxicant never-formulate annex-iii poisoning-incidents endocrine_disruptor eu_banned_cosmetics ifra_fragrance eu_cosing_listed

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Diethylene Glycol safe in cosmetics?

DEG should not be intentionally formulated into cosmetic products. It is restricted under EU Annex III, prohibited in China and Canada, and banned in oral cosmetics above 0.25% in Australia. Its primary hazard is as a contaminant in glycerin and glycol-based raw materials, associated with mass poisoning incidents. The EU classifies Diethylene Glycol as "restricted". Safety rating: POOR. 2 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.

Is Diethylene Glycol allowed in the EU?

Diethylene Glycol EU regulatory status: restricted. Maximum allowed concentration: Subject to Annex III concentration and purity conditions. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.

What does Diethylene Glycol do in cosmetics?

Diethylene Glycol functions as: Solvent, Viscosity Controlling. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 111-46-6.

What is the Margin of Safety for Diethylene Glycol?

not established The Margin of Safety (MoS) is calculated using SCCS methodology. A MoS above 100 is generally considered safe. Use the MoS Calculator tool to calculate MoS for your specific formulation and product category.

What is the NOAEL for Diethylene Glycol?

The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Diethylene Glycol is 50 mg/kg bw/day based on a Chronic study via oral route in rat. A total of 2 study endpoints are available. Source: COSMOS_DB.

Is Diethylene Glycol classified as hazardous under GHS?

Diethylene Glycol carries a GHS signal word of "DANGER". Hazard statements: Harmful if swallowed Causes damage to kidneys if swallowed May cause drowsiness and dizziness. This classification is based on the ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Card and ECHA C&L inventory data. Note: GHS classification applies to the pure substance โ€” at cosmetic use concentrations, hazard thresholds may not be met.

๐Ÿ“ฑ

Is Diethylene Glycol in Your Products?

Scan any product label with Piro โ€” our free ingredient scanner. Point your camera at the ingredients list and get instant safety scores for every ingredient.

Try Piro Free โ†’

Analyze Your Full Ingredient List

Paste any INCI list into the Decoder for instant safety analysis, or calculate the Margin of Safety for Diethylene Glycol in your formulation.