TOXIC watchdog group BAN Toxics has alerted Governor Daniel Fernando on the continuing sale of mercury-added skin lightening products (SLPs) in the province of Bulacan, which has been banned by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
In a recent on-site product surveillance, BAN Toxics Patroller Therese Carmela Diaz documented the over-the-counter sale of prohibited beauty products in 11 Beauty Shops, a local Drug Store, and a Minimart across 5 towns in Bulacan: Balagtas, Guiginto, Malolos, San Jose Del Monte, and Sta. Maria.
The banned SLPs identified were Goree Beauty Cream with Lycopene Avocado & Aloevera, Goree Day & Night Beauty Cream Oil Free Total Fairness System, Goree Gold 24k Beauty Cream and 88 Total White Underarm Cream, with prices ranging from 200 to 250 pesos.
The FDA has issued several public health warnings against these cosmetic products for containing health-damaging mercury.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the main adverse effect of exposure to inorganic mercury is kidney damage. Mercury may also cause skin rashes, skin discoloration and scarring, and a reduction in the skin’s resistance to bacterial and fungal infections.
The group wrote to Governor Fernando to take action to halt the illegal trade of banned cosmetics, support the province-wide campaign against the mercury-added SLPs, and promote a safe and mercury-free environment in the province.
For the past few months, BAN Toxics has been documenting the widespread sale of banned SLPs in Metro Manila, Daet (Camarines Norte), Tuguegarao City, Tacloban City, and now in Bulacan. The group has subsequently reported their findings to the FDA for regulatory action.
“We need a concerted effort not just from the regulatory agencies but also from local officials to conduct enforcement actions to ensure that violative products are not sold or made available in the market, protecting their constituency from toxic harm,” said Thony Dizon, Toxics Campaigner of BAN Toxics.
The group also called on the provincial government to enact an ordinance banning the use and sale of mercury-added SLPs to halt their illegal trade and prevent the risk of mercury exposure and poisoning.
Cosmetic products containing mercury that exceed 1 part per million are also banned under the Minamata Convention on Mercury, to which the Philippine Government is a party. The Minamata Convention is a legally binding global treaty designed to protect human health and the environment from man-made emissions of mercury and mercury compounds. The Philippine Government ratified the treaty on July 8, 2020.
BAN Toxics will continue to conduct on-site market monitoring and product test-buys of beauty products containing toxic mercury in other nearby provinces. The group will alert national government agencies and local officials for law enforcement action against retailers and beauty shop owners who violate the FDA advisory.
Last April, BAN Toxics launched a 13-minute video documentary entitled “The Dark Side of Skin-Lightening” to raise awareness on the hidden dangers lurking within many skin-lightening products (SLPs) due to their mercury content. The film showing was attended by students, teachers, and parents of La Consolacion University Philippines (LCUP) in Malolos, Bulacan.
“We encourage Bulakeños to be proud of our natural skin color and to be more vigilant when purchasing cosmetic products, as these may contain hazardous chemicals that have irreversible effects on human health and the environment,” the group added.
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