EcoWaste warns public vs mercury-tainted cosmetic products peddled online

A toxics watchdog has warned the public against purchasing mercury-laden cosmetic products being sold online. In a statement, EcoWaste Coalition called on the public not to patronize skin-lightening products containing mercury, a melanin pigment-inhibiting chemical that can damage the brain, nervous system, and kidneys, as well as the skin. EcoWaste’s online test buy showed that unauthorized Temulawak Day & Night Cream supposedly made in Malaysia contains mercury “above one part per million (ppm), the maximum limit set for mercury as heavy metal contaminant under the ASEAN Cosmetic Directive (ACD).” This came after the BPOM, the Indonesian Food and Drug Authority,  listed Temulawak Day & Night Cream among the 13 mercury-containing cosmetics still in circulation in violation of the ban on mercury in cosmetics such as skin-lightening products. Per EcoWaste, the Temulawak Day & Night Cream stated on its label written in Bahasa Melayu: “Removes black spots, acne and wrinkles on the skin. Rough and black skin can be transformed into white, clean, and glowing. It can also be used as a foundation to make the skin smooth, radiant, and youthful.” The group said that it bought the imported product from a Shopee seller based in  Zamboanga City.  “It comes with an Indonesia-made Temulawak brightening soap and toner,” it said. As such, EcoWaste said it had previously purchased Temulawak products from retailers in Cogon, Cagayan de Oro City, and Quiapo, Manila City. According to the watchdog, it utilized a handheld Olympus M Vanta X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyzer to verify the presence of mercury in the sample.   “Based on the screening it conducted, the Temulawak night cream had 3,399 ppm of mercury,” it noted. Even before the announcement of BPO, the group said, regulatory agencies in Brunei and the Philippines had flagged and banned Temulawak Day & Night Cream for containing mercury above the ACD-prescribed one ppm limit. “In 2022, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the Philippines issued Advisory No. 2022-1347 warning the public against the purchase and use of Temulawak products, including the Day & Night Cream, for having no valid Certificate of Product Notification.  Under Republic Act No. 9711, the sale of any health product without the proper authorization from the FDA is prohibited,” it said. “The FDA in 2018 also issued Advisory No. 2018-106 informing the public about the tests conducted by the Department of Pharmaceutical Services of Brunei Darussalam indicating that Temulawak (night cream) “buatan Malaysia” (made in Malaysia) contains mercury above 1 ppm and is banned from the market.” The advisory stated that “mercury is a naturally occurring heavy metal, which is known to be severely hazardous to health even in small amounts.” “People exposed to mercury exhibits symptoms including, but not limited to, tremors, numbness and tingling in the hands and feet, gingivitis or inflammation of the gums, pink discoloration of the hands and feet, especially in children, irritability, and photophobia or sensitivity to light,” it went on. Moreover, the advisory said, “nursing mothers are doubly vulnerable because mercury is passed on to nursing babies through breast milk, which can affect the baby’s development.” With this, EcoWaste urged online shopping platforms to take down the unauthorized  cosmetic products that pose peril to consumers, especially pregnant women and nursing mothers.