# Hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose

URL: https://app.greenveil.ai/ingredients/ingredient_inci_hydroxypropyl_methylcellulose
Categories: beauty, cleaning, food, industrial, pharma
Functions: Cleansing, Antistatic, Binding, Emulsion stabilising, Film forming, Viscosity controlling
Identifier: DTXSID7037054

> Hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose: Used in cosmetics as a cleansing agent, an antistatic agent and a binder. Greenveil chemical-concern score: 40/100 — Moderate concern based on regulatory listings.. Compiled from 3 published data sources.

## Safety assessment

- Chemical concern score: 40/100 — Moderate concern based on regulatory listings.
- Confidence in this assessment: High
- Is it a concern? Moderate concern: no hazard classifications on record. It is listed for cosmetic use in the EU.
- Rationale: EFSA OpenFoodTox genotoxicity classification: Ambiguous. Source: EFSA ANS 2015

## Regulatory status

- EU: Active — Cellulose, 2-hydroxypropyl methyl ether
- EU: EFSA opinion — Safety and efficacy of hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose for all animal species (EFSA FEEDAP)
- EU: EFSA opinion — Re-evaluation of celluloses E 460(i), E 460(ii), E 461, E 462, E 463, E 464, E 465, E 466, E 468 and E 469 as food additives (EFSA ANS)
- EU: EFSA opinion — Safety of a change in specifications for the food additive hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (E 464) (EFSA ANS)
- US: commercial use observed — EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 1000 composition records across product categories including Construction and building materials, Specialty occupational products, Home maintenance. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Viscosity modifier, Binder, Surfactant (surface active agent).

## Expert safety opinions

- SCCS (EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety): no opinion on file.
- CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review (US expert panel)): no opinion on file.
- EFSA (European Food Safety Authority): Safety and efficacy of hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose for all animal species (EFSA FEEDAP) — 2020 — https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2020.6214; Re-evaluation of celluloses E 460(i), E 460(ii), E 461, E 462, E 463, E 464, E 465, E 466, E 468 and E 469 as food additives (EFSA ANS) — 2018 — https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2018.5047; Safety of a change in specifications for the food additive hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (E 464) (EFSA ANS) — 2015 — https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2015.4088.

## Data sources

- CosIng (updated 2026-09-23): https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/details/34537
- EFSA OpenFoodTox (updated 2026-10-02): https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8120114
- EPA Chemical and Products Database (updated september 28, 2015): http://siri.org/msds/f1/chl/chljr.html

_Assessed by Greenveil._