Geneva—Today, as the United Nations highlights “the urgent need to address the harmful effects” of mercury added skin lightening products (SLPs) on the International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination on March 21, advocates are calling on governments to enforce bans and collaborate globally to end the toxic beauty trade.
“The skin-lightening industry is rooted in racism and colonization” said Micaela E. Martinez, Ph.D., Director of Environmental Health, WE ACT for Environmental Justice. “Much of this comes from the normalization of Euro-centric beauty standards around the world, coupled with deliberate marketing of harmful products to people of color to fulfill these standards.”
Despite national governments and Minamata Convention bans, however, mercury SLPs continue to be sold around the globe, both in local markets/stores and on the internet. This is due in large part to the lack of a national sales ban and coordinated enforcement, particularly of illegal and toxic online sales by E-commerce giants like Amazon and eBay, and third-party vendors.
“The manufacture, distribution, and sale of toxic cosmetics is a global threat to public health that requires coordinated international action,” said Michael T. Bender, Co-coordinator of the Zero Mercury Working Group. “Internet platforms must stop these illegal products from being sold on their sites and the Parties to the Minamata Convention should take measures to ensure that.”
