Banned beauty products found in Araneta, Ever Gotesco

ASIDE from the Smart Araneta Coliseum, the Araneta Center in Cubao, Quezon City is also serving as home for banned mercury-tainted skin whitening products, said the EcoWaste Coalition.

The EcoWaste issued this statement after finding mercury-tainted products inside Araneta Center’s vast commercial compound despite the ban from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The group also found such products in Ever Gotesco Commonwealth Center.

“Of the 10 samples bought from food and health supplements shops, tiangge (flea market) stalls and one Chinese drug store, nine were found to contain mercury above the allowable limit,” it said.

It added that of the nine mercury-laden products, six were among the 50 brands recalled under the FDA Advisory 2011-012 issued on August 4 last year.

These six banned skin whitening products are JJJ Magic Spot Cream (with 11,200 ppm of mercury), S’zitang (6,164 ppm), Jiaoli 7 Days Specific Eliminating Freckle AB Set (6,117 ppm), Lan Mei Rou 12 Days Whitening and Speckle Removing Suit (4,858 ppm), Jiaoli Miraculous Cream (3,738 ppm), and Beauty Girl Ginseng and Green Cucumber Essence 10 Days Double Whitening, Speckles Removed (3,635 ppm).

The other three products with high concentrations of mercury are “Special Cream” double (1,828 ppm), “Special Cream” single (1,254 ppm) and Fruit and Lovely Quick Acting Whitener and Speckle Remover Package (349 ppm).

To note, the FDA had long set one ppm as the limit for mercury in cosmetics.

The group, then, called on authorities, particularly the FDA and the Quezon City government, to do something to get rid of the hazardous products.

“We urge Quezon City’s public health and safety officials, in collaboration with the FDA, to go after the importers, distributors and sellers of these dangerous products. It's time to get tough with traders of poison cosmetics,” said the EcoWaste.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), mercury in skin lightening products, such as soaps and creams, can damage the kidneys and cause skin discoloration, rashes and scarring and also reduce skin’s resistance to bacterial and fungal infections.

Also, irritability, shyness, tremors, changes in vision or hearing, memory problems, depression and numbness and tingling in hands, feet or around mouth were identified as some of the signs and symptoms of mercury poisoning. (HDT/Sunnex)