A new regulation that more than doubles the list of banned substances used in cosmetics for sale in China will take effect from July 1, the Ministry of Health announced on Thursday.

The regulation aims to keep pace with international standards for cosmetics, including those of the European Union and the United States, as well as to strengthen supervision of domestic production.

The regulation adds 790 new substances to the list of those banned in the production of cosmetics. This brings the total number to 1,286.

It also modifies the lists of materials for producing hair dyes and sun-screen products and outlines methods of testing for banned substances.

The regulation also sets out new evaluation standards for sun-screen products and for the testing and labeling of their water-proof qualities.

The ministry issued its first health standards for cosmetics in 2002 when it banned 412 substances.

Zhang Heyong, director of the China Quality Association for Pharmaceuticals, said in December that weak government supervision and a lack of compulsory testing had lead to safety concerns.

(Xinhua News Agency January 26, 2007)