Canceling skin lighteners: COP5 urges global mercury ban in cosmetics

13 Nov 2023 --- The fifth Conference of the Parties (COP5) has highlighted the danger and need to phase out mercury intentionally formulated into skin care products across global markets, with the participation of 115 parties at the Minamata Convention on Mercury in Geneva, Switzerland.

The COP requested a report to be developed and presented at COP6, based on information provided by the Minamata parties and stakeholders, on the challenges in preventing the manufacture and trade of mercury-added cosmetics, such as (online) sales, and the measures to address those.  

The governing body aims to place a ban on the manufacture and trade of all “mercury-added cosmetics” — instead of only those containing “over one part per million mercury” — that will be adopted by 2025, apart from unavoidable traces, banning cosmetics with mercury from being sold on markets.

Mercury is often added to anti-aging and skin-lightening products (SLPs). The US FDA reports that cosmetics with the words “mercurous chloride,” “calomel,” “mercuric,” “mercurio” or “mercury” on the ingredients list have mercury in them.

“The manufacture and trade of mercury compounds used to produce illegal mercury-added SLPs should be banned. Eradicating products such as mercury-added SLPs is important for an unscrupulous industry that is itself rooted in colorism and that profits from the mass poisoning of non-white people, is vital, especially given that the harm caused in our region,” says Rico Euripidou, campaign coordinator at GroundWork in South Africa.

The COP requests a report on mercury in the cosmetics supply chain by COP6.Commercialized mercury across global markets
Continued production and trade of these toxic skin lighteners has presented enforcement challenges, as detailed last month in a new Zero Mercury Working Group Report. This was reinforced last month by an Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) investigation identifying ammoniated mercury as one of the vital mercury compounds intentionally added to skin lighteners. 

Although centers of production are mainly outside the EU, the EIA report revealed that countries such as Spain have been used as transit ports, facilitating the transportation of mercury-added compounds for SLP production.

“It is important that the EU uses the ongoing process to revise the EU Mercury regulation and already ban such compounds,” says Charline Cheuvart, mercury policy officer at the European Environmental Bureau (EEB). 

The COP has decided to initiate a study of the global supply, production, trade and use of mercury compounds.

“We congratulate the African region who made this possible through their proposed amendment, seeking to address the enforcement loopholes and implementation gaps related to mercury-added cosmetics. It is important that Parties agree that toxic cosmetics are a global mercury crisis warranting coordinated international collaboration,” adds Elena Lymberidi-Settimo, policy manager for the Zero Mercury campaign at the EEB. 

Earlier this year, a coalition of African nations proposed a stricter ban on mercury-added cosmetics as sales were found to persist despite restrictions.

Toxicity of mercury
Mercury is a neurotoxin that lightens the skin by suppressing melanin production and can also remove age spots, freckles,Mercury in skin lightening products is shown to have damaging health effects. blemishes and wrinkles. It may lead to rashes, skin discoloration and blotching and enter the body via absorption through the skin, inhalation or orally. 

Mercury also damages the nervous system. Long-term use of mercury-added SLPs may damage the eyes, lungs, kidneys, digestive and immune systems.

The FDA further reports that mercury exposure can have serious health consequences. It says that the danger isn’t just for people using mercury-containing products but also for their families. When consumers use these products, household members might breathe mercury vapors or become exposed by using communal items such as towels contaminated with mercury.

In Europe, where the issue is reflected, a coalition of various industry representatives warned that face whitening creams contain illegal levels of mercury, as investigations in 2019 (60% of products tested) and 2022 (70% of products tested) revealed.

In an exclusive video interview, Personal Care Insights spoke to the EEB and the Zero Mercury Working Group, which have been cracking down on the use of mercury in skin lighteners.

By Sabine Waldeck 

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