‘Mercury-laced beauty creams sold in Western Visayas’
MANILA, Philippines — An environmental watchdog has alerted the public on the sale of imported facial creams with dangerously high levels of mercury in Western Visayas.
“Our investigation shows that banned mercury-laden skin care products have penetrated the local cosmetics market in Western Visayas. Local government, health and police authorities need to send off law enforcement teams without delay to confiscate the forbidden products and hold the culprits accountable,” Aileen Lucero, EcoWaste Coalition national coordinator, said.
In operations conducted from May 14 to 17, EcoWaste said it purchased 31 samples of Goree Beauty Cream with Lycopene and Goree Day & Night Beauty Cream and a sample of Collagen Plus Vit E Day & Night Cream in Iloilo City, Iloilo province, Roxas City in Capiz as the well as in the cities of Bacolod, Escalante, Kabankalan, San Carlos, Silay, Talisay and Victorias in Negros Occidental.
Goree samples worth P250 to 350 each and Collagen Plus worth P99 were procured mostly from stores operating within city centers, including those in public markets and shopping malls.
The samples were brought to the EcoWaste Coalition office in Quezon City for mercury screening using an Olympus Vanta M Series X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyzer.
XRF screening results showed that the Goree samples were found positive for mercury in the range of 22,320 to 30,680 parts per million, way above the 1 ppm limit under the ASEAN Cosmetic Directive and the Minamata Convention in Mercury.
The collagen night cream had 2,060 ppm of mercury.
On Oct. 30, 2017, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an advisory against the purchase and use of Goree products due to their mercury content.
The FDA also issued a warning against the use of Collagen Plus Vit E Day & Night Cream in 2017 and 2021.
International and national health authorities have warned that mercury-added skin lightening cosmetics are hazardous to health.
Among the adverse effects of exposure to mercury are skin rashes, discoloration and scarring as well as reduced resistance to bacterial and fungal infections.
Consumers have been warned that direct and prolonged exposure through the skin during repeated applications can cause damage to the brain, nervous system and kidneys.
“The continuing trade of hazardous cosmetics in the domestic market points to the most important role of local governments, particularly city mayors and city health department chiefs, in ensuring compliance with product and chemical safety laws, including the Minamata Convention on Mercury in their areas of jurisdiction,” EcoWaste Coalition said.
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