Tested 213 products from 23 online platforms in 12 countries
90% contained mercury that exceeded the legal limit set by the Minamata Convention
Africa's proposed amendment would strengthen the treaty by banning the advertising and sale of such toxic products.
Minamata Convention (COP5) negotiators call for strengthening of existing treaty
Despite being banned by a global treaty, mercury-added skin lightening products (SLPs) remain at the top of the world's largest online retailers, according to a new report from the Zero Mercury Working Group (ZMWG) released today. are sold to unsuspecting consumers by some. This report provides further evidence that hazardous SLPs are widely available on the global market.
NGO partners from 12 countries purchased 213 suspect SLPs from 23 online platforms. Of these, 191 items (90%) had mercury concentrations ranging from 1.18 to 74,800.00 ppm, exceeding the 1 ppm limit mandated for cosmetics by many governments and the Minamata Convention.
This report discusses amendments proposed by the African region that Parties to the Fifth Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention (COP5) seek to address enforcement loopholes and implementation failures related to mercury-added cosmetics. The submission comes at a critical time in preparations.
The African amendments aim to strengthen existing treaty provisions by:
- The manufacturing and trading of all mercury-added cosmetics, not just those that contain mercury exceeding 1 ppm, will be prohibited.
- Reduce the commercialization of mercury-doped SLP, including sales, sales offers, marketing, advertising, and exhibition.
- Coordinate interagency, bilateral and/or regional measures to phase out mercury SLPs.
- Increase public awareness of the dangers of mercury SLP.
The report highlights that there are currently no effective controls in place to prevent mercury SLP from being manufactured and sold online. Online platforms continue to shirk their responsibility to stop unscrupulous merchants from advertising, marketing and selling illegal mercury-doped SLP, thereby encouraging them to adopt Eurocentric beauty standards influenced by “colorism” It perpetuates the inequities in the lives of people of color, especially women and girls, who are conditioned to do so. ”.
Mercury brightens the skin by inhibiting the production of melanin, which also helps remove age spots, freckles, age spots, and wrinkles. However, it can cause rashes, skin discoloration, and blotches, and it can enter the body through absorption through the skin, inhalation, or orally.
The findings of this report, along with a recent report commissioned by the Natural Resources Defense Council, support mercury compounds as essential ingredients for SLP. As a result, the report recommends that COP5 should lay the groundwork for regulating mercury compounds and subjecting them to trade restrictions.
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michael benderCoordinator of the Mercury Zero Working Group, said:
“The proliferation and online sale of mercury cosmetics continues despite the treaty’s ban on their manufacture and trade. However, if the African regional amendment banning the advertising and sale of illegal SLPs is adopted, online marketing It may help prevent this.”
Rico EuripidouCampaign Coordinator for Groundwork South Africa, said:
“For many years, the African region has played a leadership role in phasing out mercury from products including lighting, dentistry, and now skin-lightening cosmetics. Toxic cosmetics are a global mercury crisis, and a coordinated international We need your cooperation.”
charline chevalEuropean Environment Agency's Mercury Policy Officer, said:
“If approved, the amendments would complement and strengthen the current treaty and close loopholes that allow for the advertising, display and indiscriminate sale of mercury-doped SLPs. reflects a desire to promote “Making history of mercury“”
end
contact address
Michael Bender, E: mercurypolicy@aol.com; Phone: 1-802-917-8222
charline cheval charline.cheuvart@eeb.org; Phone: +32 2 289 13 08
Elena Limberidi-Settimo elena.lymberidi@eeb.org; Phone +32496532818
Rico Euripidou, E: rico@groundwork.org.za
References
- ZMWG 2023 Report
- ZMWG 2023 Report – Executive Summary, English, French, Spanish
- ZMWG 2022 Report – “Despite Mercury Discovery, Skin Whitening Agents Still Online”
- ZMWG 2022 Report – Overview.
- ZMWG Report – “Measures to strengthen regulations on high mercury cosmetics based on the Minamata Convention”
All the above reports are available at: https://www.zeromercury.org/mercury-added-skin-lightening-creams-campaign/
Notes for editors
[1] Mercury is a neurotoxin, meaning it damages the nervous system. Long-term use of mercury-added SLP can cause damage to the eyes, lungs, kidneys, digestive system, and immune system.for
For more information on the health risks posed by mercury SLP, see the World Health Organization fact sheet. https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/330015/WHO-CED-PHE-EPE-19.13-eng.pdf
[2] Since 2017, ZMWG has conducted four separate market surveys of suspect SLPs, analyzing approximately 1000 SLPs from over 40 online platforms in the ZMWG Global Database and the UNEP Global Mercury Partnership website. Please refer to the following. https://www.unep.org/globalmercurypartnership/resources/tool/mercury-findings-skin-lightening-products-online-database
[3] Currently, the Convention provides that each party shall not permit the manufacture, import, or export of mercury-added cosmetics (with mercury content of 1 ppm or more), including skin-whitening soaps and creams, by taking appropriate measures. Masu. See below. https://minamataconvention.org/en/documents/minamata-convention-mercury-text-and-annexes. However, partly due to the lack of a national sales ban, its use continues to surge both in local markets and on the Internet.
[4] Skin lightening agents are sold as creams, lotions, and soaps. ZMWG testing shows that hundreds, if not thousands, of products are available on the global market. Please refer to the following. www.zeromercury.org/mercury-added-skin-lightening-creams-campaign. Those that use mercury as an active ingredient often contain 2 to 10 percent mercury by weight.
[5] Products were tested in accredited laboratories in Europe and the United States using handheld X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometers or analyzers at three regional locations:
- Ivory Coast case (for Africa),
- Prohibition of Toxic Substances in the Philippines (For Asia) and
- Antigua and Barbuda (for Latin America and the Caribbean)
Approximately 10% of the samples tested by XRF were sent to the laboratory for QA/QC testing.
[6] Suspected SLP for mercury testing was purchased from the following online platform: jiji.ng; eBay.com; Kirimall.co.ke; Daraz.com.bd; Before ebay.be; Amazon. shopee.ph; shopee.co.th; eBay.com; tokopedia.com; jumia.koke; jumia.com.ng; dalaz.com.bd; before ebay.be; amazon. bukalapack.com; Lazada.co.th; shopee.co.th; Kablewala.com.bd; shopee.co.id; bukalapack.com; Jumia.koke; shopee.ph; Lazada.co.th; jiji.ug; bidrubuy.co.za; flipkart.com.
[7] Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. Potential implementation of a global inventory of the supply, use, and trade of mercury compounds (March 2023)
[7] NGOs that collect questionable SLPs from online platforms include: Bio Vision Africa, Uganda. Center for Environmental Justice and Development, Kenya. Santé Environmental Center African, Ivory Coast. Groundwork, South Africa. Sustainable Research and Action for Environmental Development, Nigeria, Casasem, Mexico. Mercury Policy Project and WE-ACT, USA. Integrated Health Outreach (IHO), Antigua and Barbuda. Toxifera Environmental Health Association, Brazil; BAN Toxics, Philippines. Nepal Center for Public Health and Environment. Earth, Thailand. Environmental and Social Development Authority, Bangladesh. NEXUS3 Foundation, Indonesia; Toxics Link in India and the European Environment Agency in Belgium.
