Toxic mercury in skin-lightening products

28 August 2026, Quezon City. The toxics watchdog group EcoWaste Coalition urged consumers not to buy Pakistan-made beauty kits containing items contaminated with high levels of mercury, a health-damaging chemical illegally added to skin-lightening products. Despite the Food and Drug…

28 June 2026, Quezon City.  The EcoWaste Coalition applauded the Chamber of Cosmetics Industry of the Philippines (CCIP) for joining the global fight against mercury in skin-lightening products in support of the Minamata Convention on Mercury. “CCIP’s backing of the…

8 June 2026, Quezon City.  The toxics watchdog group EcoWaste Coalition reiterated the warnings from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) against skin-lightening products containing high levels of mercury and/or hydroquinone. “We urge anyone using mercury-tainted skin whiteners to…

FDA issues 8 public health warnings in response to the group’s market monitoring reports 20 May 2026, Quezon City.  The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has flagged multiple imported skin-lightening products, cautioning the public not to buy or use them.…

Group bares its discovery of yet another Pakistan-made beauty cream contaminated with 19,610 ppm of mercury 6 May 2026, Quezon City. Ahead of the special day honoring mothers and mother figures, the EcoWaste Coalition criticized those behind the illegal production…

Mercury-contaminated skin-lightening product brags it “contains no harmful ingredients.” 30 April 2026, Quezon City.  The EcoWaste Coalition has uncovered mercury in yet another “export quality” Pakistan-made skin lightener, marking their 35th discovery of such a highly hazardous cosmetic produced in…

EcoWaste Coalition & Cavite Green Coalition pitch for local action to stem illegal trade of FDA-flagged cosmetics in Cavite province 15 March 2026, Quezon City.  As the National Women’s Month is celebrated, civil society groups conducted an unprecedented province-wide investigation…

(Poseur-buyer offered to serve as reseller) 27 January 2026, Quezon City.  Imported skin-lightening products flagged by the national government for being sold without market authorization or for containing mercury are being sold in Naga City in blatant violation of the…

11 December 2025, Quezon City. On December 10, Human Rights Day, the EcoWaste Coalition had the opportunity to share its advocacy campaign on mercury in skin lightening products at a side event on “Toxic Skin Bleaching: A Growing Global Health…

4 September 2025, Quezon City.  The EcoWaste Coalition appealed to city and municipal authorities to actively cooperate with the national government and other sectors in eliminating the unlawful trade of contraband mercury-added cosmetics for whitening the skin tone. Over two…