Group warns vs beauty products with mercury

CEBU, Philippines - Environmental and health advocates revealed mercury-laced beauty products being sold in Cebu City that are supposed to lighten skin complexion.

Cebu-based Philippine Earth Justice Center together with Quezon City-based EcoWaste Coalition announced the discovery of the tainted skin whitening creams, which included brands that government had earlier recalled for containing mercury above the allowable limit of one part per million (ppm).

Mercury, an extremely toxic chemical that can damage the kidneys, the skin and the nervous system, is often found in imported skin facial creams that lure users with the promise of whiter skin tone and the “magic” removal of freckles, scars, spots and even aging wrinkles.

“Our test buys provide solid evidence that mercury-tainted cosmetics have reached and infected the Cebu market,” said Aileen Lucero of the EcoWasteCoalition’s Project Protect.

The test buys were conducted on September 13-14 involving four shops that specialize in beauty products, health supplements and Chinese medicines located in Manalili, V. Gullas and Colon streets in Cebu City, she said.

Lucero was able to buy eight mercury-laced skin whitening products, sold from P35 to P99, including items that were among the 50 brands banned under the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Advisory 2011-2012.

Subsequent analysis of the purchased items using a portable X-Ray Fluorescent (XRF) spectrometer by Engr. Ramir Castro of QES (Manila), Inc. indicated high concentrations of mercury in the eight products namely Miss Beauty Magic Cream with 11,400 ppm of mercury, S’Zitang Cream with 7,856 ppm, Jiaoli Miraculous Cream with 7,254 ppm, The Flower Woman 7 Days Whitening and Spot and Night Cream with 7,303 ppm, Xin Jiaoli 7-Days Specific Eliminating Freckle Cream with 6,795 ppm, Jiaoli with 5, 061 ppm, S’Zitang 7-Days Specific Eliminating Cream with 4,521 ppm and Woman of Flower with 4,228 ppm.

Lucero said that none of the above mentioned products listed mercury as an active ingredient.

“The discovery of banned mercury-laden cosmetics in Cebu is bad news for consumer health and should rouse the government to act with firm resolve. Confiscate the contraband goods, charge erring importers, distributors and vendors and ensure dealers’ compliance with the law,” said Atty. Gloria Estenzo-Ramos, coordinator of the Philippine Earth Justice Center.

“Selling health-damaging cosmetics with mercury is totally not pretty,” added Ramos, who is also a member of the EcoWaste Coalition’s Steering Committee.

Cebu City Councilor Nida Cabrera, chairperson of the committee on environment, has expressed serious concern about the illegal trade in mercury-tainted cosmetics.

“I find this very alarming as consumers are practically buying poisonous cosmetics that can bring adverse health effects. This is not acceptable,” said Cabrera.

To safeguard consumers against mercury exposure, the EcoWaste Coalition urged users to be extra vigilant, read the product information carefully and do not buy items that lack adequate and understandable labels.

The EcoWaste Coalition said the right to product information and the right to product safety are guaranteed by the Consumer Act of the Philippines. Consumer vigilance is needed to ensure that these rights are respected by business and industry.

According to the “Epidemiological Alert: Mercury in Skin Lightening Products” by the World Health Organization (WHO), the main adverse effect of the inorganic mercury contained in skin lightening soaps and creams is kidney damage.

The WHO had warned that mercury in skin lightening products may also cause skin rashes, skin discoloration and scarring, as well as a reduction in the skin’s resistance to bacterial and fungal infections. Other effects include anxiety, depression or psychosis and peripheral neuropathy.

According to Dr. Visitacion Antonio, a toxicologist, the mercury enters the environment, where it becomes methylated and enters the food chain as the highly toxic methyl mercury in fish.

“Pregnant women who consume fish containing methyl mercury transfer the mercury to their fetuses, which can later result in neuro developmental deficits,” said Antonio.

The health advocates would like to ask the local government unit to craft an ordinance that would help in eradicating all these banned products in the markets. — (FREEMAN)