The TGA has confirmed sodium laureth sulfate is not intended to be captured by the new C6–C15 alkyl sulfates Schedule 6 entry — but the drafting ambiguity remains unresolved.

An update on a question we flagged

When the new Schedule 6 entry for medium and long chain (C6–C15) alkyl sulfates was confirmed at final decision in May 2026, we noted an open question that mattered a great deal to formulators.

The entry it replaces — for lauryl sulfate salts — explicitly excluded derivatives. The new class-based entry does not carry that exclusion. That raised an obvious and commercially significant question: is sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) captured?

Given how widely SLES is used across shampoos, body washes, facial cleansers and household cleaning products, the answer was far from academic.

The TGA has now clarified

The TGA Scheduling Secretariat has confirmed that the entry is intended to be limited to the C6–C15 alkyl sulfate class, and that sodium laureth sulfate (CAS 68585-34-2) is not intended to be captured.

That's the answer most formulators were hoping for. SLES is an ethoxylated alkyl ether sulfate — structurally distinct from the straight alkyl sulfates the entry targets — and the chemical specificity of the entry (defined chain length plus sulfate structure) effectively limits its scope.

If your formulations rely on SLES, this is a meaningful piece of certainty.

But the drafting issue hasn't gone away

Here's the nuance worth holding onto: "not intended to be captured" is a statement of intent, not a change to the words of the entry.

The TGA is currently examining whether the absence of an explicit "excluding derivatives" qualifier could unintentionally be read as covering laureth sulfates or a wider alkyl chain range, and whether the entry needs to be revised to remove doubt. Industry has encouraged the TGA to insert an explicit derivative exclusion.

Resolution may take some time — it requires consideration by both the Scheduling section and the Delegate.

So the practical position is: a clear statement of regulatory intent, sitting alongside drafting that is arguably wider than that intent. For most businesses that's sufficient comfort to proceed, but it's worth documenting your reasoning rather than assuming the question is permanently closed.

What this doesn't change

The underlying entry still applies. Straight C6–C15 alkyl sulfates are captured, with implementation on 1 October 2027, and the scope is genuinely broader than the lauryl sulfate salts entry it replaces.

So if your surfactant system includes alkyl sulfates across that chain-length range — not just lauryl sulfate — the compliance work still stands: confirming exactly what's in your raw materials, checking concentrations, and preparing any labelling changes.

The SLES clarification narrows the problem. It doesn't remove it.

What to do

  • Confirm which of your surfactants are straight alkyl sulfates in the C6–C15 range versus ether sulfates like SLES.
  • Get precise composition data from suppliers — chain-length distribution matters, and a trade name on a spec sheet won't answer the question.
  • Document your scope assessment, particularly for any borderline materials, so your reasoning is on record.
  • Watch for a revised entry if the TGA proceeds with an explicit derivative exclusion.

How Engel Hellyer & Partners can help

Interpreting a scheduling entry against real raw material specifications — which are rarely as tidy as the entry assumes — is routine work for us. As part of our AICIS compliance and SUSMP / Poisons Schedule checking and categorisation services, we screen formulations against the Poisons Standard, resolve borderline scope questions, and prepare the labelling that follows.

If you'd like your surfactant systems assessed against the new entry well before October 2027, we're happy to take a look.

This article is general information only and does not constitute regulatory advice for any specific product. Scheduling entries and regulator positions can change; confirm the current position before acting.

Further reading

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