Eliminating mercury containing skin lightening products and promoting the beauty of all skin tones.Learn more why it matters, meet the community of practitioners, and explore the library of resources, news and events.
Spread the word and contribute to #mercuryfreecosmetics by sharing this project website widely www.unep.org/mercuryfreecosmetics
Demand for products is rooted in social, cultural and historical factors. In many cultures, harmful stereotypes associate lighter skin with beauty and better prospects of employment, marriage and social standing.
Beauty standards promoted by media, advertising and marketing often reinforce the bias that a lighter skin tone is more desirable than darker skin tone.
Skin lightening products (SLP) often contain potentially harmful ingredients, including steroids, hydroquinone and toxic mercury compounds, that not only damage the skin but can lead to serious health concerns. The Minamata Convention on Mercury at its 5th meeting of the Parties amended the Convention text to explicitly ban manufacture, import and export of mercury-added cosmetics. This amendment underscores the commitment of Parties to the Convention and many civil society groups to safeguarding human health and the environment from the dangers of mercury exposure. Yet many cosmetic products still contain mercury to increase the whitening effect. The concentration of mercury in SLP can vary based on manufacturing standards and labelling discrepancies, making it difficult for consumers and authorities to identify mercury in these products.
The danger does not just exist for those who use skin lightening products but also for their families who may become exposed by using washcloths or towels contaminated with mercury, through skin-to skin-contact or even by inhaling mercury vapor. The health impacts of exposure to mercury-containing SLPs include short-term effects such as skin rashes, skin discoloration, and scarring, as well as more lasting impacts such as damage to the nervous system or kidneys. Pregnant women, nursing babies, and young children are particularly at risk due to the harm mercury can cause to their developing nervous systems. Moreover, release of mercury through the application of the SLP can further contaminate the surrounding environment and contributes to global mercury pollution.
The GEF-funded, UNEP-led project “Eliminating Mercury Skin Lightening Products” is carried out by WHO and the Biodiversity Research Institute in collaboration with the Governments of Gabon, Jamaica, and Sri Lanka who will spearhead the work at the national level.
Supporting governments to develop or strengthen existing legislation and regulations to phase out skin lightening products in line with the Minamata Convention;
Engaging supply chain actors in an attempt to stop production, trade and distribution of skin lightening products;
Strengthening national capacities in testing and monitoring the skin lightening products and providing training of custom agents; and
Raising awareness about the issue in the project countries and at the regional and global levels.
In Gabon, inventory assessments conducted under Minamata Initial Assessments (MIAs) estimated that 4,385 kg of mercury per year were released due to cosmetics such as SLPs.
The Government of Gabon has implemented several measures to address the issue of SLPs such as the development of a national strategy in 2017 by the Directorate of Medicines and Pharmacies (DMP) in connection with the General Health Inspectorate to control the sale and distribution of SLPs nationally.
In Jamaica, research has shown that SLPs have been promoted through advertisements, marketing strategies and popular culture influencers, aimed particularly at African-Jamaican women. In 2004, it was reported that approximately 10 -15% of patients seen by dermatologists locally had been using SLPs.
There are several initiatives in Jamaica to address SLPs, but the development and implementation of regulations have been problematic. This project aims to address the legislative, regulatory, and institutional needs to adequately manage SLPs in Jamaica as well as conduct public awareness activities.
Sri Lanka has 23 official local cosmetics and pharmaceutical manufacturing industries involved in the production of cosmetics and soaps. Research conducted by the Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ) found high levels of mercury in many skin-whitening cream brands available in the local market in Sri Lanka. Of those assessed, 2 out of 5 locally manufactured skin whitening creams had concentrations higher than the permissible level.
The importation of SLPs are difficult to monitor as SLPs are grouped with a wide range of other related products under the same Harmonised System (HS) Code. A lack of labeling standards also exists.
(Click on a country flag to see its Minamata Convention Party profile)
Eliminating Mercury Skin Lightening Products project stakeholders group was established in the context of the GEF-funded, UNEP-led project “Eliminating Mercury Skin Lightening Products” that is carried out by WHO and the Biodiversity Research Institute in collaboration with the Governments of Gabon, Jamaica, and Sri Lanka.
The group acts as a platform for information and knowledge exchange between project countries and global stakeholders working on the issue. The community of practice is open to all relevant stakeholders and experts with knowledge and interest in the issue of eliminating mercury containing skin lightening products.
Spread the word and contribute to #mercuryfreecosmetics by sharing this project website widely www.unep.org/mercuryfreecosmetics
The overall goal of the UNEP Global Mercury Partnership is to protect human health and the environment from the releases of mercury.
