Group warns of mercury in skin whiteners

MANILA, Philippines -  A watch group on toxic chemicals has warned that the illegal sale of imported skin whitening products containing mercury remains a threat to human health and the environment.?             

The EcoWaste Coalition renewed its warning against mercury in unregistered facial whitening and freckle removing creams after finding the substance in 10 imported products above the regulatory limit of one part per million (ppm).?               

“The smuggling of mercury-laden skin whitening cosmetics persists despite the combined efforts by the government and civil society to expose and stop such illegal trade,” said Thony Dizon, coordinator of the EcoWaste Coalition’s Project Protect.?               

“The persistence of the problem underscores an urgent need for the Duterte administration to ratify the Minamata Convention on Mercury, which, among other things, bans the production, export and import of skin lightening cosmetics with mercury above one ppm,” he noted.?               

“Ratifying the treaty that the Philippines signed in 2013 could pave the way for strengthened policies, expanded programs and increased collaborations to protect the people’s health and the environment from mercury emissions and releases. We are one with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in pushing for the treaty ratification,” he said.?                              

To raise consumer awareness about the hazards of mercury in cosmetics, the group purchased 13 different skin whitening creams costing P60 to P300 each in Divisoria and Quiapo, Manila on July 22 and 23, and screened them for mercury using an x-ray fluorescence device.?               

Among the products found to contain excessive concentrations of mercury were Yu Dan Tang Ginseng & Green Cucumber 10-Day Specific Eliminating Freckle Spot & Double Whitening Sun Block Cream (with 38,900 ppm), Parley Herbal Beauty Cream (20,500 ppm), Collagen Plus Vit E Day & Night Cream (11,700 ppm), Golden Pearl Beauty Cream (9,434 ppm), Erna Whitening Cream (4,531 ppm), Jiaoli Miraculous Cream (2,766 ppm), S’Zitang 10-Day Whitening & Spot Day Night Set (2,710 ppm), S’Zitang 7-Day Specific Whitening & Spot AB Set (2,640 ppm), Jiaoli 7-Day Specific Eliminating Freckle AB Set (2,184 ppm) and Temulawak Day & Night Beauty Whitening Cream (1,128 ppm).?               

Since 2010, the Food and Drug Administration has banned over 135 mercury-containing and unnotified skin whitening products, 80 of which were discovered by the EcoWaste Coalition through its periodic market surveillance and product analysis.?                            

According to the World Health Organization, exposure to mercury can have serious health consequences, including kidney damage, skin rashes, discoloration and scarring, reduced skin resistance to bacterial and fungal infections, anxiety, depression or psychosis and peripheral neuropathy.