By Analou De Vera
An environmental watch group appealed to e-commerce sites to review cosmetic products being sold in their website which may contain mercury that is hazardous to health.
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The EcoWaste Coalition said "online shopping platforms are being used to promote and sell cosmetics containing scheduled poisons such as mercury, which is forbidden in cosmetic formulations."
“Cosmetics laden with mercury are alarmingly being sold online as the results of our test buys would show. The wide circulation of these dangerous cosmetics through e-commerce is a menace to public health and the environment as the production, consumption, and disposal of such products can contribute to mercury pollution,” said Thony Dizon, chemical safety campaigner, EcoWaste Coalition.
Dizon said there is an "obvious need" to monitor online shopping sites to keep it safe from selling products that have mercury content.
"Considering the susceptibility of online shoppers to fall victims to deceptive advertising and to adulterated and counterfeit goods, we ask e-commerce sites to police goods being sold by third-party merchants while our policymakers craft necessary regulatory controls,” Dizon said.
Meanwhile, Atty. Vic Dimagiba, president of Laban Konsyumer Inc. said there should be strict rules on labeling and full disclosure of the product's content to protect the health of the consumers.
"There should be no exemption from liability by the seller and distributor, and that their registration from the regulator must be disclosed on the website,” Dimagiba said.