Healthy,
safe and
productive lives
and enterprises

Candles and reed diffusers containing LILIAL at ≥ 0.3% cannot be sold to the general public after the 1st March 2022

nullMarket Surveillance of Chemicals Inspectors from the Health and Safety Authority have noticed that candles and reed diffusers containing LILIAL are currently on sale in Irish retail stores. Suppliers and retailers are reminded that candles and reed diffusers containing LILIAL at a specified concentration cannot be sold to the general public after 1st March 2022. Therefore, they now need to take action to ensure that such products will be removed from sale in store and online by this date.

2-(4-tert-butylbenzyl) propionaldehyde (trade name LILIAL CAS 80-54-6) which may be used as a fragrance in candles and reed diffusers, was classified[1]  as Toxic to Reproduction (may damage fertility and is suspected of damaging the unborn child) in 2020 under the CLP Regulation. This means that candles and reed diffusers containing LILIAL at a concentration of ≥ 0.3% will not be permitted for general sale from 1st March 2022 as LILIAL will be a restricted[2]  substance under the REACH Regulation.

Consequently, any candles or reed diffusers containing ≥ 0.3% LILIAL cannot be sold to the general public under any circumstances after 1st March 2022 (products may be re-formulated to remove LILIAL or to contain concentrations of LILIAL below 0.3% ahead of this date in order to be compliant with the Regulations).

Irish companies affected by this, especially candle makers, suppliers and retailers, are advised to put measures in place without delay to ensure compliance with these provisions before the 1st March 2022 deadline