Key Points for Manufacturers and Suppliers
- Scope: Applies to all intentionally added formaldehyde-releasing chemicals, not just the 25 listed substances.
- Timeline: Effective January 1, 2027, with sell-through permitted until December 31, 2027.
- Enforcement: Detected formaldehyde will be presumed intentionally added.
- Compliance Support: The Washington Department of Ecology will provide technical guidance, including a webinar scheduled for October 1, 2025.
- Market Context: Large retailers are already demonstrating feasible reformulation pathways.
Washington has become the first state in the U.S. to officially adopt a comprehensive ban on 25 formaldehyde-releasing chemicals in cosmetic products, according to an August 28 announcement by the state Department of Ecology.
The new rule applies to the listed substances in the chart contained in this article, and any other intentionally added formaldehyde releasers used in products manufactured, sold, or distributed in the state. Its adoption was driven by a growing demand to protect public health interests.
Formaldehyde and its releasers are “commonly used to extend the shelf life of a product—but formaldehyde is also a known carcinogen,” the Washington Department of Ecology said. Exposure can occur through repeated use of shampoos, eyelash glues, nail polishes, and hair treatments.
Compliance timeline and enforcement
The restrictions take effect January 1, 2027, and retailers will have until December 31, 2027, to sell through existing inventory. The Washington Department of Ecology stated the rule “clarifies the definition of ‘intentionally added,’ restricting all other formaldehyde-releasing chemicals” in addition to the following listed substances.
| Chemical Name | Chemical Abstracts Service Registration Number (CAS RN) |
|---|---|
| DMDM Hydantoin | 6440-58-0 |
| Diazolidinyl Urea | 78491-02-8 |
| Imidazolidinyl Urea | 39236-46-9 |
| Quaternium-15 | 4080-31-3; 51229-78-8 5 |
| Tosylamide/Formaldehyde Resin (PTSAF) | 25035-71-6 |
| 2-Bromo-2-Nitropropane-1,3-Diol (Bronopol) | 52-51-7 |
| Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate | 70161-44-3 |
| Polyoxymethylene Urea | 9011-05-6; 68611-64-3 |
| Polyoxymethylene Melamine | 9003-08-1 |
| 5-Bromo-5-Nitro-1,3-Dioxane (Bronidox) | 30007-47-7 |
| 7-Ethylbicyclo-oxazolidine (Bioban CS1246) | 7747-35-5 |
| Benzylhemiformal | 14548-60-8 |
| Dimethylhydantoin formaldehyde (DMHF) | 26811-08-5; 9065-13-8 |
| Dimethylol Glycol | 3586-55-8 |
| Dimethylol Urea | 140-95-4 |
| Dimethyl Oxazolidine | 51200-87-4 |
| MDM Hydantoin | 116-25-6; 27636-82-4; 16228-00-5 |
| Methenamine | 100-97-0 |
| Methylal | 109-87-5 |
| Paraformaldehyde | 30525-89-4 |
| Polyoxymethylene | 9002-81-7 |
| Tetramethylolglycoluril | 5395-50-6 |
| Timonacic (when used in heat-activated hair straighteners) | 444-27-9 |
| Tris-Hydroxymethylnitromethane | 126-11-4 |
| Urea, polymer with formaldehyde, isobutylated | 68002-18-6 |
To strengthen accountability, the rule presumes that any detected formaldehyde was intentionally added, requiring companies to verify the safety of their ingredients throughout their supply chains, the Department’s press statement confirmed.
Implementation and support
The rule builds on Washington’s Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act, adopted in May 2023, which banned formaldehyde itself beginning January 2025. The Washington Department of Ecology said the law gives it “the authority to identify and restrict formaldehyde-releasing chemicals through rulemaking.”
To assist the industry, the Department will host a compliance webinar on October 1, 2025, to explain restrictions, sell-through provisions, and available technical resources. “We’re committed to supporting a smooth transition for all members of the cosmetics supply chain,” said Shari Franjevic, who leads the Department’s implementation of the law, in the Department’s press statement.
She added that the Department will work with manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and cosmetics professionals to “help them understand the law and rule and meet the new requirements.”
Health concerns are driving the rule
Formaldehyde is classified as a human carcinogen and linked to leukemia, respiratory disease, and skin irritation. The Washington Department of Ecology’s testing in 2023 found elevated levels in creams, lotions, and hair products, including those marketed to women of color.
The agency highlighted salon workers as particularly vulnerable due to their daily exposure in the workplace.
“There are cosmetics products on the market that do the same job without releasing these cancer-causing chemicals,” Franjevic said in the press statement, noting that safer substitutes are already in use.
Advocacy and expert reaction
Advocacy groups and public health researchers welcomed the move. Toxic-Free Future said Washington was “leading the way by banning these cancer-causing chemicals in products like skin cream, hair styling gels, and eye lash glue,” in the organization’s press release.
Director of government and market policy Cheri Peele added in the same statement that “safer solutions are available, and we expect this landmark action to prompt the reformulation of products sold throughout the United States.”
Speaking to Toxic Free Future, cosmetologist Brandi Hyatt called the new restrictions “a big step forward in protecting people’s health and safety,” while Columbia University environmental health scientist Dr. Ami Zota described the ban as “a victory for science, health, and justice,” particularly for women of color and salon workers who face higher exposures.
Market implications
The retail sector has already begun adjusting to consumer and regulatory pressure. As noted by Toxic-Free Future, the organization’s 2024 Retailer Report Card found that companies, including Sephora, Target, and Ulta Beauty, had restricted formaldehyde releasers in private-label products and increased their offerings of safer alternatives.
Mae Kennedy of WE ACT for Environmental Justice told Toxic-Free Future that the ban “will give all consumers access to safer cosmetics while also addressing the poor health outcomes faced especially by Black women as a result of racist, Eurocentric beauty standards that encourage chemical hair straightening.”
