ENVIRONMENTAL advocacy group Ecowaste Coalition on Friday alerted government regulators, law enforcers and consumers against skin whitening products laced with mercury that are sold in several stores in Mandaluyong City.
Ecowaste's market surveillance from June 9 to 13 shows that at least 12 stores were selling cosmetics that were banned by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for containing the prohibited ingredient mercury.
"Twelve stores selling dangerous cosmetics with mercury in a small but progressive city is very alarming," the group said, noting that "Mandaluyong City has a total land area of only 11.26 square kilometers."
The products in question include Goree Beauty Cream with Lycopene, Goree Day & Night Beauty Cream, Goree Gold 24K Beauty Cream, 88 Total White Underarm Cream and Jiaoli Miraculous Cream.
"Between 2017 [and] 2023, the FDA issued multiple advisories warning consumers against the purchase and use of the said Goree products from Pakistan. The advisories against 88 Total White Underarm Cream from Thailand and Jiaoli Miraculous Cream from China were issued in 2021 and 2010, respectively," the group said.
EcoWaste Coalition national coordinator Aileen Lucero called on the Mandaluyong City government, FDA Regulatory Enforcement Unit and other duty-bearers to "implement effective measures" that will put an end to the "unrestrained" sale of mercury cosmetics, which they said can contaminate and harm the human body.
"Let us embrace our natural skin tone and avoid exposing ourselves and others to mercury and other hazardous substances in skin-lightening products," Lucero said.
The mercury-laced items were sold inside Marketplace Shopping Mall, Starmall EDSA-Shaw and Shaw Center Mall, all in Mandaluyong City.
"One of the stores selling banned mercury cosmetics is a 'pharmacy' as prominently written on its signage. We find this very disturbing as adulterated, banned and unauthorized health products have no place in a legitimate pharmacy, which has an important role in health care," Lucero said.
According to the World Health Organization, mercury can cause kidney damage, neurological disorders and other health effects.