THE WHAT? New Zealand’s Environmental Protection Authority has announced its intention to ban PFAS from beauty products by 2025, according to a report published by 1 News. The regulatory body is proposing the measure as part of an update to the country’s Cosmetic Products Group Standard.

THE DETAILS The so-called ‘forever chemicals’ are found in some 52 percent of cosmetics, the news outlet claims, quoting a 2021 study from the University of Notre Dame in the US. A ban would align New Zealand’s ingredient rules with the European Union’s standard.

THE WHY? Although a Danish study has concluded that the levels of PFAS found in typical make-up products pose little to no risk to human health, forever chemicals do pose a problem to the environment as they do not degrade and high levels have been found in waterways and marine life.