| Substance Group: Fatty Acid Salts |
Fatty acid salts (soap) are a widely used class of anionic surfactants. They are used in household cleaning products, cosmetics, lubricants (and other miscellaneous industrial applications) and coatings. Uses in household cleaning products, the scope of this HERA assessment, include fabric washing products, fabric conditioners, laundry additives, and surface and toilet cleaners.
According to data received from a survey conducted among detergent formulator companies, an overall annual tonnage of 71306 tonnes of fatty acid salts for use in HERA applications was estimated. This was compiled using data from 4 out of the 6 main formulator companies.
Fatty acid salts are of low acute toxicity. Their skin and eye irritation potential is chain length dependent and decreases with increasing chain length and they are poorly absorbed through the skin. They are not skin sensitisers. The available repeated dose toxicity data demonstrate the low toxicity of the fatty acids and their salts. Also, they are not considered to be mutagenic, genotoxic or carcinogenic, and are not reproductive or developmental toxicants.
Accidental ingestion of fatty acid salt containing detergent products is not expected to result in any significant adverse health effects. This assessment is based on toxicological data demonstrating the low acute oral toxicity of fatty acid salts and the fact that not a single fatality has been reported in the UK following accidental ingestion of detergents containing fatty acid salts. Also in a report published by the German Federal Institute for Health Protection of Consumers and Veterinary Medicine, detergent products were not mentioned as dangerous products with a high incidence if poisoning.
The estimated total human exposure to fatty acid salts, from the different exposure scenarios for the handling and use of detergent products containing fatty acid salts, showed a margin of exposure (MOE) of 258,620. This extremely large MOE is large enough to be reassuring with regard to the relatively small variability of the hazard data on which it is based. Also, in the UK, the recommended dietary fatty acid intake by the Department of Health is about 100 g of fatty acids per day or 1.7 g (1700 mg) of fatty acids per kilogram body weight per day. This exposure is several orders of magnitude above that resulting from exposure to fatty acid salts in household cleaning products.
Based on the available data, the use of fatty acid salts in household detergent and cleaning products does not raise any safety concerns with regard to consumer use.
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