Eco group: mercury-tainted cosmetics still being sold

Mercury-tainted cosmetic products are still being sold in several areas in Metro Manila and nearby provinces despite a health ban, an ecological group said. During random test buys, EcoWaste Coalition managed to purchase cosmetic products banned by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). “Our investigation proves that the blacklisted skin whitening creams have not disappeared from store shelves and are being sold to unsuspecting consumers from 60 to 180 pesos," said Aileen Lucero of the EcoWaste’s Project PROTECT (People Responding and Organizing against Toxic Chemical Threats). “We urge the FDA to actively mobilize all the law enforcement agencies to stop the trade in mercury-tainted skin-whitening products and protect gullible consumers from being deceived by unscrupulous vendors," Lucero said. “The proliferation of products with toxic ingredients such as mercury should encourage the FDA into reviewing its recall policy and implementation strategy," she added. EcoWaste urged the FDA to consider the following “action points:" (a) to revise the current allowable limit of mercury from 1 part per million (ppm) to zero to ensure that only mercury-free cosmetics are sold in the market; (b) to require products to be pre-tested for mercury and other toxic substances before being sold to prove that they are safe for the consumers and the environment. (c) to enforce the required labeling requirements under the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, Consumer Protection Act, Food and Drug Administration Act and other pertinent laws. (d) to conduct effective public information using all available media that will inform and caution vendors and consumers in both urban and rural areas about the hazards of mercury in cosmetics. (e) to establish a hotline where consumers can obtain recall and general product safety information as well as report violation of recall orders, and (f) to publish detailed reports to inform the public on how recall orders were implemented. In an entry Friday on EcoWaste's blog site, Lucero said these so-called "magic" skin-whitening products contain excessive amounts of mercury, a dangerous, toxic chemical. EcoWaste said mercury threatens the nervous system, including the developing brain of the fetus. Children of mothers who use skin lightening soaps and creams tainted with mercury, have a high risk of being mentally and physically impaired, it said. The group conducted the random market surveillance one month after the FDA issued its latest list which includes 11 mercury-laced skin lightening creams. The group went "store-hopping" from Tuesday to Thursday and purchased the prohibited items in certain tiangge stalls, food supplement kiosks, beauty shops and in Chinese drug stores. EcoWaste said the stores were located in Quiapo, Sta. Cruz and Divisoria (168 Mall) in Manila; Makati City (Guadalupe Shopping Complex), Quezon City (Farmers’ Plaza) and in Angono, Rizal. Out of the 11 skin whiteners banned by the FDA on June 16, EcoWaste's volunteers bought six brands and even obtained receipts as proofs. The banned products include Beauty Girl Double White Collagen Elastin Whitening Night Cream, Doctor Bai Skin Revitalizing Skin Brightening Cream, Glutathione Grapeseed Extract Whitening and Anti-Aging Cream, JJJ Magic Spots Removing Cream, Shengli Day and Night Cream, and S’Zitang Cream. They also managed to buy Jiaoli Miraculous Cream that the FDA banned as early as February 9. –VVP, GMANews.TV