POLYVINYL ACETATE
Binder; Emulsion Stabilizer; Film Former; Hair Fixative; ANTISTATIC; BINDING; EMULSION STABILISING; FILM FORMING
Also listed as
ACETIC ACID, ETHENYL ESTER, HOMOPOLYMER; ACETYLATED POLYVINYL ALCOHOL; ETHENYL ACETATE, HOMOPOLYMER; POLYVINYL ACETATE EMULSION; POLYVINYL ACETATE SOLUTION; HOMOPOLYMER ACETIC ACID, ETHENYL ESTER; HOMOPOLYMER ETHENYL ACETATE; ETHENYL ESTER HOMOPOLYMER ACETIC ACID; ACETIC ACID ETHENYL ESTER, HOMOPOLYMER; 76 RES; ACETIC ACID ETHENYL ESTER HOMOPOLYMER (9CI)
Given the incomplete information made available by companies and the government, EWG provides additional information on personal care product ingredients from the published scientific literature. The chart below indicates that research studies have found that exposure to this ingredient -- not the products containing it -- caused the indicated health effect(s) in the studies reviewed by Skin Deep researchers. Actual health risks, if any, will vary based on the level of exposure to the ingredient and individual susceptibility -- information not available in Skin Deep.
| This ingredient: | |
 | Cancer |
 | Developmental/reproductive toxicity |
| Violations, restrictions & warnings |
| Allergies/immunotoxicity |
 | Contamination concerns - ARSENIC, HEAVY METALS |
 | Other moderate concerns for this ingredient: Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive) |
|
See products containing POLYVINYL ACETATE | |
About POLYVINYL ACETATE: Polyvinyl Acetate is the homopolymer of Vinyl Acetate (q.v.) that conforms generally to theformula:
POLYVINYL ACETATE has reported used in the following product types: mascara (36); facial moisturizer/treatment (1); anti-aging (1)
Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Classified as expected to be toxic or harmful | Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List | |
| Classified as medium human health priority | Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List |
Cancer
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Cancer - not classifiable/not likely to be human carcinogen | Int'l Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) - Carcinogens |
Data gaps
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| 349 studies on toxicity in PubMed see search results -> | PubMed |
Multiple, additive exposure sources
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in food | FDA Everything Added to Food | |
| Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in food | FDA Food Additive Status |
Ecotoxicology
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Not suspected to be an environmental toxin | Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List |
Government, industry, academic studies and classifications
| government/industry list/academic study | appears on list as | classification(s) |
| FDA Food Additive Status | POLYVINYL ACETATE | • miscellaneous • Food additive: food additive for which a petition has been filed and a regulation issued • Comp of chewing gum base - CFR172.6l5 • Food additive: food additive for which a petition has been filed and a regulation issued • diluent for color additive mixtures for drug use exempt from certification - CFR73.1 |
| Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments | POLYVINYL ACETATE | •Safe as used in cosmetics according to industry panel (Cosmetic Ingredient Review, CIR) •May contain harmful impurities • |
| FDA Everything Added to Food | POLYVINYL ACETATE | • Fully up-to-date toxicology information has been sought. |
| Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List | ACETIC ACID ETHENYL ESTER, HOMOPOLYMER | •This chemical was deemed a moderate human health priority and was flagged by CEPA for further attention. The chemical was flagged for suspected persistence. |
| Int'l Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) - Carcinogens | POLYVINYL ACETATE | •IARC Group 3 (no cancer link) |
references
| government/industry list/academic study | reference |
| FDA Food Additive Status | FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) 2006. Food Additive Status List. Downloaded from http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/%7Edms/opa-appa.html, Oct 16, 2006. |
| Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments | CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review). 2006. CIR Compendium, containing abstracts, discussions, and conclusions of CIR cosmetic ingredient safety assessments. Washington DC. |
| FDA Everything Added to Food | FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration). 2008. EAFUS [Everything Added to Food]: A Food Additive Database. FDA Office of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. |
| Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List | EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry. |
| Int'l Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) - Carcinogens | IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer). 2008. Overall Evaluations of Carcinogenicity to Humans, as evaluated in IARC Monographs Volumes 1-99 (a total of 935 agents, mixtures and exposures). |
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