<
https://www.who.int/news/item/14-02-2023-countries-unite-to-remove-mercury-from-hazardous-skin-lightening-products>
"The governments of Gabon, Jamaica and Sri Lanka have joined forces to fight
back against damaging beauty practices, launching a joint US$14-million project
to eliminate the use of mercury in skin lightening products.
Using cosmetics to inhibit the body’s production of melanin, leading the skin
to appear lighter, is a centuries-old practice in many parts of the world that
continues to take a toxic toll today.
Both men and women use skin lightening products, not only to lighten their skin
but to fade freckles, blemishes, age spots and treat acne. However, consumers
are often unaware that many of these products contain harmful chemicals
including mercury, a toxic substance which poses risks to human health and
contaminates the environment.
Skin lightening products can cause skin rashes and discolouration; scarring;
nervous, digestive and immune system damage, as well as anxiety and depression.
The Minamata Convention on Mercury has set a limit of 1mg/1kg (1ppm) for
mercury in skin lightening products. However, a 2018 Zero Mercury Working Group
and Biodiversity Research Institute test of over 300 products from 22 countries
found that approximately 10 per cent of skin lightening creams exceeded this
limit, with many containing as much as 100 times the authorised amount.
Led by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), with funding from the Global
Environment Facility (GEF), and executed by the World Health Organization (WHO)
and Biodiversity Research Institute (BRI), the
Eliminating mercury skin
lightening products project will work to reduce the risk of exposure to
mercury-added skin lightening products, raising awareness of the health risks
associated with their use, developing model regulations to reduce their
circulation, and halting production, trade and distribution across domestic and
international markets."
Via
Future Crunch:
<
https://futurecrunch.com/goodnews-water-vietnam-stunting-indonesia-conservation-ecuador/>
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
