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A toxics watchdog on Wednesday warned the public against buying 35 skin-lightening products that had dangerous levels of mercury, a toxic chemical that affects the nervous, digestive and endocrine systems.
In a press release, EcoWaste Coalition said it purchased and screened the products using an X-ray fluorescence chemical analyzer.
The group found that the items contained mercury above the 1-part-per-million (ppm) limit imposed by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Cosmetic Directive on heavy metal contaminants.
READ: Banned creams with mercury sold in Cebu
Fifteen of these products, the group pointed out, contained mercury above 10,000 ppm.
鈥淎dverse health effects of the inorganic mercury contained in skin lightening creams and soaps include kidney damage, skin rashes, skin discoloration and scarring, reduction in the skin鈥檚 resistance to bacterial and fungal infections, anxiety, depression, psychosis and peripheral neuropathy,鈥� EcoWaste said, citing the World Health Organization.
The contaminated products were manufactured in countries such as China, Indonesia, Pakistan and Thailand, and primarily sold on online platforms.
Brand names
Of the 35 skin-lightening products, seven came from China. These included BL Vterly Day & Night Cream, Feique 2 in 1 Lemon Whitening Anti-Wrinkle Face Cream Set, Feique Cucumber Whitening & Freckle-Eliminating Cream, Feique Green Tea Whitening Nourishing Anti-Freckle Set, Feique Herbal Extract Whitening Freckle Removing Cream, Feique Snail Liquid Whitening Anti-Freckle Set and Hua Shu Li Miracle Whitening & Anti-Freckle Set.
The products from Thailand included two variants of 88 Whitening Night Cream, five variants of Dr. Yanhee cream, two variants of Dr. Wuttisak, Lady Gold Seaweed/Gluta Super Gluta Brightening, Meyyong Seaweeds Super Whitening, Polla Gold Super White Perfects, Pumepine Total White Underarm Cream, Q-nic Care Whitening Night Cream, Q-nic Care Underarm Whitening Cream and Snow White Armpit Whitening Underarm Cream.
Four of the products were from Indonesia, which consisted of Dr. Gold Super Quality +SPF30, Fair & Lovely Day & Night Cream, La Bella Day Cream and La Bella Night Cream.
The eight products from Pakistan were Aima Gold Beauty Cream, Armena Gold Beauty Cream, Faiza Beauty Cream, Goree Gold 24K Beauty Cream, Pure Pearl Beauty Cream, Sandal Beauty Cream, Zartaaj Beauty Cream and Zoya Gold Beauty Cream.