Resources

The Minamata Convention on Mercury prohibits the manufacture, import, and export of listed mercury-added products, including batteries, switches, certain lamps, cosmetics and measuring devices, with limited exemptions. It also requires Parties to phase down the use of dental amalgam.

The Minamata Convention bans the use of mercury in cosmetics, including skin-lightening products. Although manufacture, import and export of mercury-containing cosmetics is prohibited, Parties face challenges in addressing informal manufacturing and sales.

Explore Insights, Resources and Intersessional Work gathered in the Minamata Convention on Mercury Topic: Mercury in cosmetics

These infographics have been designed for the project “Eliminating Mercury Skin Lightening Products”.There is an English and a French version.

Ces publications pour les réseaux sociaux sont conçues pour partager la campagne #MercuryFreeCosmetics, en particulier pour la Journée internationale pour l'élimination de la discrimination raciale le 21 mars.

These social media posts are designed to share #MercuryFreeCosmetics campaign, especially for the International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination on 21 March.

[ EN / FR ]

Engagement de Libreville sur l'élimination en Afrique des produits cosmétiques éclaircissants pour la peau contenant du mercure.

From January 20 to 22, 2025, Libreville hosted a landmark regional workshop, bringing together 15 African nations to develop a unified strategy to eliminate harmful skin-lightening products containing mercury and other hazardous substances. 

The Zero Mercury Working Group Newsletter is published monthly since November 2019.

[ French ] Plateau Spécial sur l'Atelier Régional qui s'est tenue à Libreville du 20 au 22 janvier 2025. Interview du Ministre de la santé, de plusieurs experts et de Miss Ebène.

This educational video was created by youth leaders involved in Beautywell’s Young Women’s Wellness and Leadership Initiative, the Youth Advisory Board, and young women leading community initiatives. The video's purpose is to mobilize youth and raise awareness about colorism, skin-lightening practices, and chemical exposures within the youth population.

The GlobalRecalls portal brings together information on product recalls being issued around the world, on a regular basis, together in one place – on an OECD platform.

The portal includes information on mandatory and voluntary consumer product recalls which were issued by a governmental body and were made publicly available.

Campaign on Health Risks of Toxic Skin Lighteners

The project Eliminating Mercury Skin Lightening Products - Jamaica, Gabon, and Sri Lanka, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), aims to reduce the risk of exposure to mercury-added skin lightening products.

[ French / English ] CNN explique comment les niveaux élevés de mercure présents dans certaines crèmes éclaircissantes pour la peau peuvent affecter la santé des personnes qui les utilisent ainsi que contaminer l'environment de leur maison.

Learn what is in beauty products by exploring the Beautywell database and its Knowledge Hub webpage.

The New York City Department of Health Health topic webpage on mercury in soaps and creams lists some skin-lightening creams and medicated soaps that have been found to contain high levels of mercury.

The California Department of Public Health webpage presents information (also in Spanish) and lists of resources on mercury in skin creams.

This webpage from the European Chemicals Agency lists substances which are banned from use in any cosmetic products marketed for sale or use in the European Union.

[ English / Spanish / Hmong / Somali ]

[ English / Spanish / Hmong / Somali ]

[ English / Spanish / Hmong / Somali ]

The project Eliminating Mercury Skin Lightening Products (SLPs) was developed to reduce the risk of exposure to mercury added products through activities targeted at better regulation, reducing production, trade and distribution, capacity-building, awareness-raising

Skin bleaching in Africa is not a new beauty phenomenon. The practice has its roots in the transatlantic slave trade and continued during the European colonization of African nations. Skin bleaching and the use of hazardous and potent substances have been linked to a range of adverse effects, from skin diseases to serious systemic problems such as diabetes, hypertension and renal diseases.

Reinforcing the health sector’s commitment to the implementation of the Minamata Convention on Mercury: The showcase of GEF-UNEP-WHO projects on mercury-added products