Most skin whiteners in Bangladesh market contain dangerously high levels of mercury: Study

Most of the skin whitening creams available in Bangladesh market contains higher levels of mercury than the permissible level, says a new study.

The use of these creams may cause several skin problems as well as complications of the kidneys and nervous system, researchers have found.

The worrying scenario was highlighted at a workshop on harmful effects of mercury-added products on health and the environment at the National Press Club on Thursday. The event was jointly organised by the environment department and the environment and eco-social development organisation or ESDO.

The levels of mercury in most skin whiteners available in the local market are multiple times higher than the tolerable level of 1 part per million mercury or ppm.

“The market is abundant with mercury-added skin-whitening creams, putting public health and the environment at risk,” said former secretary and ESDO Chairman Syed Margub Morshed.

BUET Professor and ESDO Executive Director Siddika Sultana said, “Mercury-added skin whiteners have a direct effect on our skin and the long-term use of those may increase the risk of kidney complications, digestive problems, weakening immunisations and neurological problems."

According to the World Health Organization data, colour-enhancing creams are used all over the world, but in Asia they are most widely used. About 80 percent of Asian women, including those in China and India, use this cream.

Jahangirnagar University Professor Abul Hashem and ESDO Assistant Program Officer  Juthi Rani Mitra presented the findings at the event.

Highlighting the finding carried out in 2017 and 2018, they said mercury has also been used in pharmaceutical products apart from cosmetics. Inorganic mercury are available in high levels in skin-whitening products.

The ESDO chairman has called on the government to take preventive measures to ban the production and use of mercury-added products.

In order to curb the use of mercury harmful for human body, the Minamata Treaty— a legally-binding landmark agreement—has been signed by 128 countries with effect from 2020.

The treaty holds critical obligations for the parties to ban productions, distributions and exports if the cosmetics contain mercury more than permissible levels.

ESDO Secretary General Shahriar Hossain called for increasing public awareness on the issue as well as prohibiting the use of skin whiteners through the implementation of policies and rules.