Mercury-Laced Skin Products Flood CDO Markets, Watchdog Warns

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines — Environmental watchdog BAN Toxics has issued a stern public health warning after discovering that prohibited skin-lightening products containing dangerous levels of mercury are openly flooding major public markets in this city. The group purchased 11 skin-lightening cosmetics from various beauty shops inside the Cogon and Carmen public markets between June 30 and July 2. Retailing for as low as P60 to P330, the products remain highly accessible to local consumers despite standing bans from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In an interview with the Inquirer on Sunday, July 5, Thony Dizon, BAN Toxics advocacy and campaign officer, said it was alarming that these whitening products continue to be sold despite FDA advisories marking them “prohibited for use and sale” due to their toxic mercury content, which damages both health and the environment. READ: EcoWaste to gov’t: Clamp down on online sale of mercury-laced products Using an X-ray fluorescence (XRF) chemical analyzer, BAN Toxics discovered that the samples contained mercury levels ranging from 510 parts per million (ppm) to a staggering 78,000 ppm. This vastly exceeds the maximum allowable limit of 1 ppm established under the Minamata Convention on Mercury, the Asean Cosmetic Directive, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). The chemical screening flagged several products, including the following: According to the Zero Mercury Working Group (ZMWG), mercury is frequently added to these formulations because it suppresses melanin production to lighten skin tone. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) classifies mercury in skin care as a “major public health concern.” For Esmeralda Pedroza, a beauty shop owner at a Barangay Indahag relocation site, the toxics warning threatens both her customers’ safety and her livelihood. “I source these products from Cogon because they are inexpensive, allowing me to make a modest profit since my shop is far from the city center. But what is truly terrifying is that I use these products myself, not just my customers,” Pedroza told the Inquirer on Sunday. READ: Banned creams with mercury sold in Cebu The hazard extends beyond the direct user. Dizon warned that adults applying these creams can unwittingly expose family members through close physical contact, a risk so severe it could require household decontamination. Dizon, who returned to Manila on Saturday, July 4, noted that the group had already reported the findings to the FDA and is awaiting regulatory action. However, they also plan to lobby the Cagayan de Oro city government to tighten border security against smuggled cosmetics and launch swift enforcement operations to clear local markets. Dizon pointed to the need for a local law explicitly penalizing the sale of mercury-laced cosmetics and said they will work for its legislation by the city council. City Health Office chief Rachel Dilla could not be immediately reached for comment on Sunday. /atm