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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Rid FB Marketplace of mercury-ladencosmetic products, group asks Facebook PH

Rid FB Marketplace of mercury-ladencosmetic products, group asks Facebook PH

Published Sep 1, 2022 03:41 pm

An environmental group has urged Facebook (FB) Philippines to remove cosmetic products containing mercury from its Marketplace.

Health experts said mercury is extremely harmful to human.

On Aug. 31, the EcoWaste Coalition wrote a letter to FB Philippines asking it to rid cosmetic products laden with mercury which were found by the group being sold at the site’s online market.

In a letter addressed to FB Philippines Country Director John Rubio, the group raised that the FB Marketplace is being inappropriately used to buy and sell unauthorized cosmetics, particularly skin whitening creams containing mercury, a potent neurotoxin banned as an ingredient in cosmetic products.

“There are dozens of advertisements on FB Marketplace for skincare cosmetics that have been warned by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for containing violative levels of mercury and/or for lacking the required market authorization,” the EcoWaste Coalition said in a statement.

“We appeal to your office to take immediate action that will result in the permanent removal of listings for FDA-warned cosmetics in the Facebook Marketplace, the rejection of product tags for such cosmetics, and the suspension or termination of non-compliant accounts promoting the buying or selling of unauthorized or banned cosmetics, especially targeting skin lightening products laden with mercury and other hazardous chemicals.”

Aileen Lucero, EcoWaste Coalition coordinator, said the group believes that Facebook does not condone this practice, which violates its Community Standards and Guidelines.

“We also understand that Facebook has been investing in people, as well as Artificial Intelligence, to make the massively popular platform safe from harmful content, products, and services.”

According to EcoWaste, illegally imported Collagen Plus Vit E, Erna, Golden Pearl, Goree, Jiaoli, and S'Zitang skin lightening products are among the FDA-warned cosmetics being sold on FB Marketplace.

It noted that the Minamata Convention on mercury phased out the production, import, and export of cosmetics with mercury contents exceeding 1 ppm in 2020 to safeguard both public health and the environment from mercury exposure.

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