STOP THE USE AND SALE OF MERCURY-CONTAINING SKIN-LIGHTENING PRODUCTS!
OUR HEALTH, OUR SAFETY, OUR CONSUMER RIGHTS!
March 8, 2025. As the world celebrates International Women’s Day, toxic watchdog group BAN Toxics expresses grave concern over the proliferation of skin-lightening products (SLPs) with toxic mercury in the market and online shopping sites despite the repeated public health advisories from the Food and Drug Administration due to its adverse health and safety effects, particularly among women.
The recent market monitoring and product testing conducted by BAN Toxics had shown that mercury-added skin whitening creams are easily available for sale over the internet, promoted online on social media sites like Tiktok, Facebook Marketplace, Instagram, Lazada, and Shopee shopping sites and continuous selling in local market hubs of Metro Manila.
Since 2017, the European Environmental Bureau (EEB), in collaboration with the Zero Mercury Waste Working Group (ZMWWG) and BAN Toxics, has gathered and analyzed data from testing and official sources. The findings underscore the alarming absence of effective controls, allowing the unhindered production and online sale of mercury-laden skin-lightening products.
In its October 2023 report, 213 skin-lightening products (SLPs) were acquired from 23 online platforms across 12 countries, including the Philippines. Alarmingly, 191 of these products (90%) surpassed the 1 ppm limit mandated by governments and the Minamata Convention, with mercury concentrations ranging from 1.18 to 74,800.00 ppm.
Last year, the group purchased 50 skin-whitening beauty products online and screened them using a Vanta C Series XRF Handheld Chemical Analyzer. Forty-four tested positive for mercury, with levels ranging from 7 parts per million (ppm) to an alarming 67,400 ppm—far exceeding the 1 ppm limit set by the ASEAN Cosmetics Directive. Thirty-three of these products have existing public health advisories issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from 2013 to 2024 due to their mercury content.
“Government agencies should step up their mandate to protect public health and ensure consumer protection against banned mercury-added skin lightening products in both online and on-site markets,” said Thony Dizon, Advocacy and Campaign Officer of BAN Toxics.
“The existing health and e-commerce regulations in the country should prevent online shopping platforms from continuous marketing of banned and prohibited whitening products. We have to safeguard the safety of the consumers, especially women against toxic mercury exposure,” Dizon added.
Mercury is among the top ten chemicals of major public health concern. Adverse health effects of the use of mercury and hazardous substances in cosmetics include kidney damage, skin rashes, skin discoloration and scarring, reduction in the skin’s resistance to bacterial and fungal infections, anxiety, depression, psychosis, and peripheral neuropathy, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
BAN Toxics reiterated its appeal to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the FDA to convene a multi-stakeholder conference to address the issue of fraudulent and health-damaging products in online shopping markets and other social media sites and to strengthen commitment to providing safe, healthy, and toxin-free products for the welfare of consumers.
The group emphasized the laws that govern public health and consumer protection against toxic chemical exposure such as mercury under the Republic Act 9711 or the FDA Act of 2009 which prohibits the manufacture, importation, distribution, and sale of health products, including cosmetics, without proper authorization from the agency.
Online businesses must adhere to the country’s laws and regulations, including safeguarding online consumers against health and safety risks, as outlined in Joint Administrative Order (JAO) No. 22-01 Series of 2022 – Section 6, protection of online consumers against hazards to health and safety and Section 7, protection of online consumers against deceptive, unfair, and unconscionable sales and practices.
The group pushed for product safety pledges among beauty shop owners, social media platforms, and online shopping sites and committed to protect the public, especially women against toxic chemical threats from mercury-added beauty products.
