New Zealand’s Regulation of Cosmetic Products Containing Nanomaterials

This paper evaluates the proposed amendments to New Zealand’s Cosmetic Group Standard that relate to nanomaterials in cosmetics. Manufactured nanomaterials are being increasingly used in cosmetic products. There are concerns that some nanomaterials present potential human and environmental health and safety risks. The proposed amendments are unique in New Zealand not only because they make specific mention of nanomaterials, but also because they propose introducing labelling requirements. Few jurisdictions have adopted mandatory labelling for products containing nanomaterials. The use of nanomaterials in consumer products provides another opportunity to explore the efficacy of labelling as a regulatory tool. The challenges are heightened for products containing nanomaterials due to the difficulties in defining the term “nano.”