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Annex II Entry 1167 CMR15/10/2010

Naphthalene

Naphthalene is listed in Annex II as a prohibited substance for cosmetic products placed on the EU market.

Prohibited substance— Annex II, EU Regulation 1223/2009
Entry: 1167
CMR

Chemical identity and properties

PubChem 2D chemical structure for CAS 91-20-3
CAS 91-20-3PubChem CID 931

Naphthalene

Naphthalene is an aromatic hydrocarbon comprising two fused benzene rings. It occurs in the essential oils of numerous plant species e.g. magnolia. It has a role as a volatile oil component, a carcinogenic agent, an apoptosis inhibitor, a mouse metabolite, a plant metabolite and an environmental contaminant. It is a member of naphthalenes and an ortho-fused bicyclic arene. ChEBI

IUPAC name
naphthalene
Molecular formula
C10H8
Molecular weight
128.17 g/mol
Exact mass
128.062600255 Da
XLogP3
3.3
Topological polar surface area
0.0 Ų
Hydrogen-bond donors
0
Hydrogen-bond acceptors
0
Covalent units
1
Defined stereocentres
0

Also known as

NaphthalinTar camphorWhite tarAlbocarbonNaphtheneCamphor tarnaphtaleneNaphthaline
16 more reported names
Moth ballsMoth flakesDezodoratorNaftalenMighty 150NaphthalinumRCRA waste number U165Mighty RD1NaphtalinumNCI-C52904NSC-375652166IN72UNCHEBI:16482RefChem:6660202-049-5naftaleno
External database identifiers

Retrieved from NIH PubChem on 2026-08-31 by checksum-valid CAS matching. Chemical properties do not replace the regulatory decision on this page.

Record details

Chemical name

Naphthalene

Regulatory information

Key data

Annex
Entry number
1167

Direct matches are limited for this record, so nearby entries from Annex II are shown as well.

Annex II 1165
Nearby record in the same annex

2-Nitrotoluene

CAS: 88-72-2
EC: 201-853-3

What Annex II means for Naphthalene

Naphthalene is listed as a prohibited substance under Annex II of EU Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009 and must not be intentionally added. Article 17 separately addresses unintended small quantities that are technically unavoidable under good manufacturing practice and compatible with the Article 3 safety requirement.

Formulators must screen their ingredients and raw materials to ensure none contain this substance. Suppliers should provide documentation confirming absence when requested.

The page also surfaces 12 related annex records with overlapping identifiers, annex logic or naming patterns.

Compliance checklist

  • Verify this substance is absent from all raw materials and finished formulations.
  • Request absence confirmation or CoA from raw material suppliers.
  • Document the screening result in the Product Information File (PIF).
  • This substance has CMR classification. Review the CMR table above and verify current Annex II/III status before use.

Frequently asked questions

Yes. Naphthalene is listed in Annex II of EU Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009 and is prohibited as an intentionally added cosmetic ingredient. Article 17 provides a narrow exception for unintended small quantities that are technically unavoidable under good manufacturing practice, provided the product remains safe under Article 3.

CAS 91-20-3 is the unique numerical identifier assigned to Naphthalene by the Chemical Abstracts Service. In cosmetic compliance work, the CAS number is used to cross-reference the substance across regulatory databases, raw material specifications and safety assessment reports. Multiple EU annex entries may share the same CAS number if the same substance appears under different conditions or in different annexes.

Naphthalene has a CMR (carcinogenic, mutagenic or reprotoxic) classification under EU CLP Regulation. Under Article 15 of EU Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009, CMR substances of category 1A or 1B are prohibited in cosmetics unless specifically permitted. Category 2 CMR substances may be used only if assessed safe by the SCCS. Always verify current annex status and any applicable derogations before use.

Use the INCI Checker tool on this site to paste your full ingredient list (INCI) and scan it against all Annex II–VI entries. The tool highlights any ingredients that match restricted, prohibited or allergen-flagged records. This is useful for rapid compliance screening of finished product formulas or raw material declarations.

Source note for Annex II record Naphthalene

This page summarizes one Annex II record for Naphthalene from public European Commission cosmetic materials and adds linked inventory or identifier matches when available.

Use this record page to review Annex II conditions for Naphthalene, but confirm any final regulatory decision against the current official annex wording and source files.

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