Resources

The Zero Mercury Working Group (ZMWG) has been investigating mercury-added skin lightening products (SLPs) for several years, primarily due to their health risks, their illegality under many national laws, and the prohibition by the Minamata Convention on Mercury against the manufacture and trade of mercury-added SLPs, which generally became effective in 2021.

November 2019 (Revised March 2022) It is an uncomfortable truth that colorism is still pervasive worldwide. In communities of color, beauty standards based on the racist notion that lighter skin is more desirable still hold power.

Despite advances in modern dentistry, untreated dental caries in permanent teeth was reported as one the most prevalent conditions assessed in the 2019 Global Burden of Disease study. The restorative model for managing dental caries was developed in the 1900s, with dental amalgam as one of the restorative materials.

Report of the Global Mercury Partnership Advisory Group (PAG) 12th Meeting, which took place on 11 and 14 March 2022, in two online settings.

This webpage from U.S. Food and Drugs Administration lists information on what the law and FDA regulations say about cosmetic ingredients and safety.

In this edition, learn more about the upcoming twelfth meeting of the Partnership Advisory Group taking place in March, as well as latest news from Partnership Areas, and welcome Zaigham Abbas (Ministry of Climate Change, Pakistan) as new co-lead of the Mercury releases from the cement industry Area. Read about the upcoming second segment of Minamata Convention COP4.

Toxic skin-lightening creams are still sold freely across South Africa, despite clear health dangers and the legacy of apartheid.

[ English / French / Spanish ] *** UPDATED VERSION 2022 ***

UNEP, GRID Geneva, 2022

Technical document on the use of remote sensing and satellite imagery in ASGM  policy development, implementation and evaluation. 

The guidelines provide basic practical guidance for the environmentally sound storage, handling, and transport of liquid mercury and mercury wastes in Peru, particularly wastes consisting of used elemental mercury and mercury contaminated materials.

In India, skin whitening creams are being used since ages as white complexion has been associated with prosperity and beauty for thousands of years. However, after the post globalisation, India has evolved as a key market of the cosmetic products. Further with the growth of the online marketing portals, now the products across the globe are being flooded into Indian markets.

UNEP, 2021

Incorporating gender dimensions into national strategy setting in chemicals management: For Minamata Convention national action plans for artisanal and small-scale gold mining and Stockholm Convention national implementation plans

World Chlorine Council Reporting

In this edition, learn more about call for comments on draft guidance on Customs Codes, upcoming meetings of the Mercury in Products and Mercury Waste Management Partnership Areas and recent events, including webinar on how to integrate Gender dimensions into ASGM National Action Plans and expert consultations on mercury from non-ferrous metals as well as from oil and gas.

The UNEP Global Mercury Partnership and its Area of work on Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining (ASGM) organized on 17 June 2021 a webinar to discuss gender mainstreaming into National Action Plans (NAPs).

The World Health Organization website provides information on oral health through Overview, Causes and Symptoms and Responses. It also links to more information on the subject through Fact sheets, Databases and tools, Resolutions and decisions and Technical work.

[ Spanish ]

In almost every corner of the planet, there's a huge social dividend that comes from being lighter-skinned. Sociologists trace it back centuries to European colonization, slavery and class or caste.

Studies show people with lighter complexions earn more, are less likely to be arrested and, if convicted, serve shorter sentences than people with darker skin.

The first exploratory study inspired by ongoing discussions of a post-2020 global biodiversity framework that illustrates the interlinkages between the work of the four global chemicals and wastes conventions (Basel, Rotterdam, Stockholm and Minamata) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and other biodiversity-related conventions.

Researchers or other assessors should use this guide to help ministries of health develop a public health strategy as part of the ASGM NAP. The evidence collected will clarify key issues to consider for the public health strategy.

This investigation on the sale of mercury-containing skin bleaching, lightening or whitening cosmetics in online shopping platforms and social media sites was conducted by the EcoWaste Coalition to support the implementation of the Minamata Convention on Mercury that the government of the Philippines ratified on June 2, 2020.

In this edition, get insights from the 11th meeting of the Partnership Advisory Group (15-16 December 2020), learn about recent and upcoming Partnership Area meetings, workshops and latest useful resources, welcome Celia Chen, new co-lead of the Mercury Air Transport and Fate Research Partnership Area and meet partners who recently joined the Partnership.  

The Quick Start Guide summarizes and provides a visual overview of the key issues and recommendations for incorporating gender dimensions into National Action Plans (NAP) for artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM).

The Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) has conducted public health and institutional assessments on ASGM, noted key findings and recommendations, staged a discourse with stakeholders and selected key priorities for implementation. A number of recommendations at different levels of intervention, i.e.