Ingredient Index

Is Coal Tar banned in Europe?

Banned in EU

Yes: crude coal tar is banned in EU cosmetics as a carcinogen, while the FDA still permits it in over-the-counter dandruff and psoriasis shampoos at 0.5% to 5%.

CAS: 8007-45-2 Also seen as: Coal tar solution, Pix carbonis

What the EU does

Banned in cosmetics. Crude coal tar appears on Annex II of the Cosmetics Regulation: it is a complex mixture containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), including benzo[a]pyrene, and carries a category 1 carcinogen classification. No EU cosmetic may contain it. (Refined coal-tar-derived colorants are evaluated individually under separate entries, a different question from crude tar.)

One framing subtlety: in the EU, tar-based psoriasis and dandruff treatments can exist as licensed medicines rather than cosmetics, and some member states still have pharmacy tar preparations on that basis. The cosmetics route (the route a shampoo on a supermarket shelf takes) is closed.

Citation Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, Annex II (crude coal tar)

What the US does

Legal and monographed. The FDA recognizes coal tar as a safe and effective OTC active for dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis, and psoriasis at 0.5% to 5% (21 CFR 358.710), which is why Neutrogena T/Gel, MG217, and pharmacy tar shampoos sit openly on US shelves. California requires a Prop 65 warning above certain concentrations.

The honest tension: dermatology genuinely values tar (it works on scalp psoriasis and has for a century), while occupational data on heavy coal-tar exposure underlies the carcinogen classification. US labeling splits the difference; the EU's cosmetics framework doesn't allow that compromise.

Citation 21 CFR 358.710 (coal tar 0.5–5%, OTC dandruff/seborrheic dermatitis/psoriasis)

Products that commonly contain it

In the US, coal tar remains a drugstore staple:

Neutrogena T/Gel and tar-based shampoos
MG217 and psoriasis ointments
Scalp solutions and bath additives for psoriasis
Some veterinary skin shampoos

What to look for on a label

Reading the tar shelf:

"Coal tar" in the US Active Ingredient box, with a percentage and "coal tar solution" equivalences
EU supermarket shampoos cannot contain it; pharmacy tar products there are licensed medicines
Tar makes skin photosensitive; the sun-sensitivity warning on the label is not boilerplate

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Frequently asked questions

Is coal tar banned in Europe?

In cosmetics, yes: crude coal tar is on Annex II of the Cosmetics Regulation as a carcinogen. Tar-based psoriasis treatments can still exist in some EU countries as licensed medicines, a separate legal route.

Is coal tar shampoo legal in the United States?

Yes. The FDA monograph approves coal tar at 0.5–5% as an OTC active for dandruff and psoriasis, and major brands use it openly.

Does coal tar shampoo cause cancer?

The carcinogen classification comes from occupational exposure to crude tar in industries like roofing and coke production. Studies of dermatological tar use have not demonstrated elevated cancer rates in patients, which is the basis of the FDA's position. The EU defaults to hazard; the US to use-as-directed.

What are the alternatives for scalp psoriasis?

Ketoconazole, selenium disulfide, salicylic acid shampoos, and prescription topicals (steroids, vitamin D analogues) are legal in both markets. Many EU dermatologists still prescribe tar, as a medicine, with medical oversight.

Related ingredients

Primary sources

Last reviewed June 10, 2026 · How we assign statuses