Group tells officials that products with mercury are “openly-sold” in city

CEBU, Philippines - The EcoWaste Coalition, a watchdog group against mercury in consumer products, has raised concern on imported, mercury-laden skin lightening creams that are “openly” sold in the city.

Thony Dizon, coordinator of the Coalition’s Project Protect, said that the open display and sale of mercury-tainted skin cosmetics gives a clear indication that such dangerous products are sold with impunity in the city.

“As the major commercial hub in Central Visayas, we fear that Cebu City may be unwittingly being dragged into such unlawful trade of mercury-laced cosmetics that can pose serious health risks to consumers and the environment,” said Dizon in a statement released by the coalition.

In view of this, the Coalition urged the Cebu City government, in collaboration with the City Council, the Food and Drugs Administration and the police authorities, to take immediate action to stop the illegal sale of mercury-containing cosmetics in the city, as well as other cosmetics and personal care products with no market authorization from the FDA.

In a letter to Mayor Michael Rama, Councilors Nida Cabrera, Alvin Dizon and Lea Japson and FDA director Kenneth Hartigan Go, the Coalition expressed serious concern about the unchecked sale of unauthorized skin whitening cosmetics that may expose uninformed consumers to dangerous levels of mercury, a highly toxic chemical.

In test buys conducted by the group on June 15 and 16, 2014, the group managed to procure 13 imported brands of skin whitening cosmetics from four stores along Colon Street,  Zamora Street and Magallanes Street.

Out of these 13 products, 11 were found to contain elevated levels of mercury ranging from 3,218 parts per million (ppm) to 13,900 ppm, which is way above the ASEAN threshold limit of 1 ppm for mercury in cosmetics.

The coalition said that among the 11 products found contaminated with high levels of mercury were Erna Whitening Cream, Flower Woman 7-Day Whitening & Spot Day and Night Cream Set, Huayuenong 12-Day Whitening & Speckle Removing Wrecking Set, Jiaoli Huichusu Intensive Whitening, Sunscreen and Spots Removing Set, Jiaoli Professional Herbs Essence Whitening AB Set, Jiaoli Speckle Dispelling & Whitening Cream, Mifton, S’Zitang (single jar), S’Zitang 7-Day Specific Whitening & Spot A B Set, S’Zitang Yang Bai Su and Women of  Flower 7-Day Effective Speckle Removing Series.

It added that the other two samples had no detectable levels of mercury based on the XRF screening, but made false product claims in violation of the Consumer Act of the Philippines and the Food and Drugs Administration Act.

According to their labels, Jiaoli Extra Pearl Facial Cream is “BFAD approved,” while Top-Gel Rose Oil Extra Pearl Cream is supposedly registered with “BFAD.” BFAD (Bureau of Food and Drugs) is the old name of the FDA.

Like the 11 other products, the two items are reportedly not listed on the FDA database of notified cosmetics.

According to the World Health Organization, the statement added, the main adverse effect of the inorganic mercury contained in skin lightening soaps and creams is kidney damage. Other effects include anxiety, depression or psychosis and peripheral neuropathy. — (FREEMAN)