The ACCC helps suppliers to comply with product safety laws, and provides supplier guidance on safe concentrations of particular chemicals in consumer goods.
The ACCC's role
The ACCC conducts chemical testing and surveys of products when there’s evidence of credible concern in the marketplace to ensure that products available to Australian consumers:
- contain safe levels of chemicals, and
- have product labelling and advertising that is accurate and truthful.
Suppliers are ultimately responsible for the safety of products they supply.
Chemical testing
Products that are surveyed are selected through a process that considers injury reports, complaints, and information from government agency toxicologists. Sometimes surveys are undertaken to ensure that products earlier identified as unsafe have now been made safe.
If surveyed products are found to contain concentrations of chemicals that pose a risk to the public, the ACCC will work with suppliers of those products to conduct a risk assessment. If the risk to the public is unacceptable, the risk may need to be managed by removing products from the market. This may involve recalling products from consumers, and quarantining stock in retail premises and warehouses.
Chemical survey reports & studies
- Study of Levels of Bisphenol A (BPA) in Infant Formula and Water from Infant Feeding Bottles & Sip Cups Supplied in Australia
- Survey of Dimethyl Fumarate concentrations in desiccant sachets
- Carcinogenic aromatic amines in dyed textiles
- ACCC research survey of Formaldehyde in Cosmetics
- ACCC analytical survey of formaldehyde in false eyelash glues supplied in Australia
- ACCC analytical survey of microbiological contamination of cosmetics for use around the eyes