The banned skin whitening products from Pakistan with dangerous levels of mercury. Photo courtesy of EcoWaste Coalition
MANILA, Philippines – Pro-environment and health group EcoWaste Coalition on Monday warned the public of the proliferation of whitening products with very high levels of mercury from Pakistan sold in several outlets in Metro Manila.
The group said that the skin whitening cosmetics have been banned by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for containing dangerous levels of mercury.
“We are dismayed by the nonstop and remorseless trade of unregistered skin lightening products from Pakistan containing extremely high levels of mercury way above the permissible limit of 1 part per million (ppm),” Thony Dizon, Chemical Safety Campaigner of EcoWaste Coalition, said in a statement.
According to Dizon, the mercury-laden facial creams from Pakistan are being openly sold at the Baclaran Terminal Plaza Mall and Baclaran Bagong Milenyo Plaza for P225 to P300 each.
The beauty products in question include Parley Herbal Whitening Cream with 32,200 parts per million (ppm) of mercury; Goree Beauty Cream with 21,700 ppm; Goree Day & Night Whitening Cream with 17,800 ppm and Golden Pearl Beauty Cream with 10,000 ppm of mercury.
“Mercury, a highly toxic substance, is not permitted for use as an ingredient in cosmetic products such as skin whitening creams, lotions and soaps as per the ASEAN Cosmetic Directive,” Dizon said.
“To protect human health and the environment, governments through the Minamata Convention on Mercury have targeted a global phase-out of skin whitening cosmetics with mercury above 1 ppm by 2020,” he added.
Hence, Dizon is calling on the FDA to conduct an on-the-spot confiscation of banned products and preventive closure of erring business establishments found selling illegal cosmetic products.
EcoWaste Coalition also pressed the FDA to keep an eye on cosmetics from Pakistan that are being sold in the Philippines that did not undergo proper registration. / gsg