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HOW WE DETERMINE SCORES Learn more About EWG VERIFIED®

Data: Good

Polymethyl Methacrylate

  • Products with this ingredient are allowed for use in EWG VERIFIED but must meet use restrictions and warnings based on EWG review of company data.
  • This ingredient's score is higher if used in product forms that are inhalable (e.g., sprays, powders) because of respiratory concerns. The score is lower if used in product forms that have lower risk of inhalation (e.g., solids, liquids)
  • This ingredient's score is higher if there is potential contamination from toxic impurities. The score will be lower if used in products that meet EWG’s contamination restrictions.

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Other Concerns

Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (low_moderate), Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low), and Contamination concerns (high)

SYNONYMS

● POLYMETHYL METHACRYLATE
● 2-PROPENOIC ACID, 2-METHYL-, METHYL ESTER, HOMOPOLYMER
● HOMOPOLYMER 2-PROPENOIC ACID, 2-METHYL-, METHYL ESTER
● METHYL ESTER HOMOPOLYMER 2-PROPENOIC ACID, 2-METHYL-

Restricted

Restricted: EWG VERIFIED products cannot contain this ingredient without adequate substantiation

Polymethyl methacyrlate is a synthetic polymer.

Common concerns

See how this product scores for common concerns.

  • LOW
    Cancer
  • MODERATE
    Allergies & Immunotoxicity
  • LOW
    Developmental and Reproductive Toxicity
  • LOW
    Use Restrictions

Ingredient concerns

  • CONCERNS
  • DATA SOURCES

Products with this Ingredient

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bronzer/highlighter123 products
concealer152 products
eye liner71 products
brow liner47 products
sunless tanning1 products
oil controller5 products
anti-aging10 products
lipstick302 products
facial powder89 products
blush138 products
foundation441 products
nail glue466 products
eye shadow118 products
facial moisturizer/treatment36 products
body art1 products
makeup primer34 products
around-eye cream24 products
lip balm3 products
glitter35 products
daily use with SPF19 products
serums & essences15 products
lip gloss16 products
setting powder/spray44 products
bath oil/salts/soak1 products
mask4 products
moisturizer14 products
hand cream13 products
Novelty Makeup1 products
lip liner11 products
nail polish38 products
recreational sunscreen13 products
exfoliant/scrub1 products
foot moisturizer2 products
mascara6 products
other eye makeup3 products
hair color and bleaching5 products
hair styling aid2 products
eyelash glue1 products
body firming lotion3 products
fragrance for men1 products
Facial Sun Care1 products
Nail Art and Jewelry1 products
BB cream1 products
baby sunscreen2 products

Contamination concerns

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Chemical
METHACRYLIC ACID
ACRYLIC ACID
BENZENE

Cancer

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Not likely to be carcinogenic in humansInternational Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)

Data gaps

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Risk assessment method deficiencies and data gaps - Maximum reported 'as used' concentration is basis of safety assessment by industry safety panel (Cosmetic Ingredient Review, CIR) - implicit safe concentration limit in productCosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR)

Informational

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Industry or government recommendations for safe use: restrictions on concentration, impurities, product types, or manufacturing methods - anyCosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR)

Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Classified as expected to be toxic or harmfulEnvironment Canada
Classified as medium human health priorityEnvironment Canada

Persistence and bioaccumulation

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Not suspected to be bioaccumulativeEnvironment Canada

Ecotoxicology

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Not suspected to be an environmental toxinEnvironment Canada

Allergies/immunotoxicity

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Limited evidence of immune system toxicity or allergiesUS. National Library of Medicine,
Human immune and respiratory toxicant or allergen - strong evidenceAssociation of Occupational and Environmental Clinics (AOEC)

Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs)

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CONCERN REFERENCE
skin/eye/lung irritation - weight of evidence unknown/unassessedCosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR)
  • International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)
  • Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR)
  • Environment Canada
  • US. National Library of Medicine,
  • Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics (AOEC)

Understanding scores

Cosmetics and personal care products are not required to be tested for safety before being allowed on the market. The Skin Deep® scoring system was designed to help the public understand whether a product is safe to use or whether it contains ingredients of concern.

Every product and ingredient in Skin Deep gets a two-part score – one for hazard and one for data availability. The safest products score well by both measures, with a low hazard rating and a fair or better data availability rating.


HOW WE DETERMINE SCORES

Hazard score

The Skin Deep ingredient hazard score, from 1 to 10, reflects known and suspected hazards linked to the ingredients. The EWG Verified® mark means a product meets EWG’s strictest criteria for transparency and health.

Score legend
WEIGHT-OF-EVIDENCE APPROACH

A product’s hazard score is not an average of the ingredients’ hazard scores. It is calculated using a weight-of-evidence approach that factors in all of the hazards or health impacts associated with the ingredients.

Data availability

The Skin Deep data availability rating reflects the number of scientific studies about the product or ingredient in the published scientific literature.

NONE LIMITED FAIR GOOD ROBUST
Low Availability
Moderate Availability
High Availability
NONE

Ingredients have not been assessed.

LIMITED-FAIR

There is only a modest volume of research.

GOOD-ROBUST

Ingredients have been studied extensively.

Can’t find your product?

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