EcoWaste Coalition hails FDA advisory on toxic beauty products

MANILA, Philippines — The EcoWaste Coalition on Thursday said that an advisory of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) against several beauty products containing banned substances and heavy metals will protect the health of Filipino consumers.

“The issuance of these new advisories against unauthorized skin-lightening products, we hope, will herald an all-out campaign led by the FDA and supported by national and local government agencies, the media, civil society and the citizenry to put a stop to the unlawful trade of dangerous cosmetics with mercury in both physical and online stores,” Ecowaste Coalition National Coordinator Aileen Lucero said in a statement.

Lucero likewise enjoined online shopping platforms and consumers not to patronize products that violate FDA standards.

“We appeal to online shopping platforms to immediately take down all listings for these violative cosmetics[…]. It’s time for e-commerce to go mercury-free. Also, we urge  online shoppers to heed the advice of the FDA for the sake of their health and wellness,” she added.

The group’s statement came after the FDA released separate advisories on Wednesday cautioning the public against 10 beauty products containing toxic substances. 

The FDA clarified that the 10 beauty products containing heavy metals, which were the subject of the recent advisories, had also gone through its notification processes, underscoring the agency’s commitment to regulating the beauty and cosmetic industry.