Costco wholesale vendor requirements
Costco Smart Screening Program (Costco Wholesale corporate chemical-management standard)
21 compiled entries · 1 banned · 19 restricted · 1 flagged
| Ingredient | Status | Limit | Note | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| alkylphenol & alkylphenol ethoxylates | Restricted | — | Costco Smart Screening Program chemical-of-concern (COC) category; independent 3rd-party analytical testing on personal care products, cleaning products and Kirkland Signature items; supplier partnering process to remove COCs (source document does not use the literal phrase "Corrective Action Plan"). | Source |
| azo dyes (24 amines) | Restricted | — | COC category listed verbatim in the Costco Smart Screening document as "Azo Dyes (24 Amines)"; overlaps with EU REACH Annex XVII entry 43 azo-dye/aromatic-amine restriction. | Source |
| blue colorants | Flagged | — | Listed verbatim as "Blue Colorants" among the common chemicals of concern found during Costco Smart Screening testing. | Source |
| carcinogenic & allergic disperse dyes and other dyes (29 dyes) | Restricted | — | COC category listed verbatim as "Carcinogenic & Allergic Disperse Dyes And Other Dyes (29 Dyes)" tested under Costco Smart Screening protocols across textiles, packaging and personal care items. | Source |
| chlorinated paraffins (c10-c13, sccp) | Restricted | — | Short-chain chlorinated paraffins COC, listed verbatim as "Chlorinated paraffins (C10-C13) (SCCP)"; aligns with EU REACH/POP SVHC listing. | Source |
| chlorinated paraffins (c14-c17, mccp) | Restricted | — | Medium-chain chlorinated paraffins COC, listed verbatim as "Chlorinated paraffins (C14-C17) (MCCP)" tested under Costco Smart Screening. | Source |
| chromium vi (hexavalent chromium) | Restricted | — | Source document lists both "Chromium VI (Cr VI) content" and "Hexavalent Chromium" as separate bullet items referring to the same chemical species; screened per Costco Smart Screening, overlaps with EU REACH/TSCA limits. | Source |
| extractable heavy metals | Restricted | — | General extractable heavy-metals COC category, listed verbatim; document confirms items are also tested against California Prop 65 and REACH/TSCA thresholds. | Source |
| flame retardants | Restricted | — | Flame retardants COC category, listed verbatim, tested across product lines including personal care. | Source |
| formaldehyde | Restricted | — | Formaldehyde is a named COC listed verbatim in the Costco Smart Screening protocol list. | Source |
| nickel (ni) release | Restricted | — | Listed verbatim as "Nickel (Ni) release"; aligns with EU REACH nickel release restriction (Annex XVII entry 27) — entry number verified correct. | Source |
| organotin compounds | Restricted | — | Source lists both "Organotin Compounds" and "Tin-screening test for organotins" as related bullet items in the same COC list. | Source |
| per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (pfas) | Restricted | — | Listed verbatim as "Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances" as a Costco Smart Screening COC across personal care, packaging and other categories. | Source |
| phthalate | Restricted | — | Named COC category listed verbatim, relevant to fragrance ingredients in personal care/cosmetic items. | Source |
| polychlorinated biphenyls (pcb) | Banned | — | PCBs are a named COC listed verbatim in the Costco document; the source's own intro explicitly states its COC list includes the U.S. Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), under which PCB manufacture/most uses are separately banned (40 CFR Part 761) — cross-reference confirmed accurate. | Source |
| polychlorinated phenols | Restricted | — | Named COC category listed verbatim as "Polychlorinated Phenols" tested under Costco Smart Screening protocols. | Source |
| polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (pahs) | Restricted | — | PAHs named COC category listed verbatim; overlaps with EU REACH Annex XVII entry 50 — entry number verified correct. | Source |
| total cadmium (cd) | Restricted | — | Total cadmium content, listed verbatim as "Total Cadmium (Cd) content"; ties to Prop 65 and REACH cadmium limits (document confirms Prop 65 testing scope). | Source |
| total lead (pb) | Restricted | — | Total lead content, listed verbatim as "Total Lead (Pb) content (substrate and surface coatings)" per Costco protocol. | Source |
| total mercury (hg) | Restricted | — | Total mercury content, listed verbatim as "Total Mercury (Hg) content"; mercury in cosmetics is separately federally restricted by FDA (21 CFR 700.13, 65ppm limit). | Source |
| volatile organic compounds (vocs) | Restricted | — | VOC content, listed verbatim as "Volatile Organic compounds (VOCs)" as a named COC category under Costco Smart Screening. | Source |
2026-07-21 · Compiled from cited primary sources. Informational only — not legal advice.
Check a full formulation →