CHEMICAL safety and consumer protection groups on Saturday raised the alarm over the continued sale of mercury-based skin whitening products despite bans on their import, distribution, and sale. To put an end to the illegal trade of mercury tainted cosmetics, the EcoWaste Coalition urged the government tocrack down on smugglers through effective law enforcement activities. The group bought the non-notified imported skin whitening products from Chinese drugstores and beauty product shops in Angeles, Antipolo, Biñan, Mabalacat, Malolos, Manila, Parañaque, Pasay, Quezon, San Jose del Monte, San Pedro and Tanauan Cities. The country’s ratification of the Minamata Convention should help in promoting closer collaboration between governments in enforcing mercury control measures, including the phase-out of mercury-added products, the groups said. In 2015, the EcoWaste Coalition released the report “Beauty and the Risk,” co-published with IPEN (a global NGO working for safe chemicals policies and practices) showing the prevalence of mercury-tainted contraband skin whitening creams in the Philippines.

Source: Manila Times September 23, 2017 15:56 UTC