The European Commission received 4,137 warnings about harmful products from national authorities in 2024, according to a report released Wednesday.

The alerts were issued via "Safety Gate," which is a system allowing authorities to report dangerous non-food products. 

Topping the list were cosmetic products that contained harmful chemicals like the fragrance BMHCA, which has been banned in the EU since 2022. The chemical is suspected to impair fertility and can cause skin irritation.

What warnings were reported?

Dangerous chemicals posed the main risk in products, accounting for almost half of all warnings.

Frequently mentioned were nickel or lead in jewelry, allergenic fragrances in body oils, and plastic softeners in clothing.

Chemicals contained in cosmetics comprised 36% of warnings, followed 15% for toys. Electrical appliances and motor vehicles were other products came in at 9 and 10% respectively. 

Authorities in EU countries already recalled some cosmetic products in 2024. Cosmetics Europe, an industry association, told AFP news agency that many of the products alerted were potentially delivered to retailers before being placed on the banned list and have remained on store shelves.

Food was not included in the list, as it is covered using a separate alert system.

What can be done?

Excluding cosmetics, the majority of the harmful products reported originated in China. Michael McGrath, the EU Commissioner responsible for consumer protection said this is due in part to the success of Chinese online retailers like Shein and Temu, which sell cheap clothing and consumer products. 

The Commission wants to "tackle the problems at source” and strengthen dialogue with authorities, companies and production facilities in China, McGrath said Wednesday in Brussels. 

However, McGrath, added that the problem is "widespread" and includes producers based in the EU. He said the Commission would focus more on monitoring online retailers for potentially harmful products.

The EU has registered an upward trend in harmful product alerts in recent years.

However, only limited conclusions can be drawn about the total number of dangerous products reported, as some national authorities report more actively than others. Also, more ingredients are continually added to the list of banned substances.

Edited by: Wesley Rahn