Watchdog Group Exposes Over-the-Counter Sale of Skin Lighteners Tainted with Mercury in Tacloban City

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The toxics watchdog group BAN Toxics today exposed the unlawful sale of three variants of Goree skin lightening products, banned since 2017 by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) due to health damaging mercury concentrations.

In a market surveillance conducted by the BT Patrollers, the group discovered the over-the-counter sale of Goree Beauty Cream with Lycopene Avocado & Aloe Vera, Goree Day & Night Beauty Cream Oil Free Total Fairness, and Goree Gold 24K Beauty Cream, priced at 300 to P350 in beauty and wellness shops along downtown area in Tacloban City.

Using a Chemical XRF Analyzer to determine mercury concentration, the group found that Goree Beauty Cream with Lycopene Avocado & Aloevera had 21,700 parts per million (ppm) of mercury, Goree Day & Night Beauty Cream Oil Free Total Fairness System had 22,900 ppm, and Goree Gold 24K Beauty Cream had 21,800 ppm. All these unnotified skin creams have existing public health warnings against their use and sale due to toxic mercury content.

According to the FDA, “Mercury salts in cosmetic products inhibit the formation of skin melanin which will result in lighter skin tone. Adverse health effects brought by high toxic mercury in cosmetics products include kidney damage, skin rashes, skin discoloration, and scarring.”

“Chronic use reduces the skin’s normal resistance against bacterial and fungal infections. Other effects include anxiety, depression or psychosis and peripheral neuropathy,” the advisory stated.

BAN Toxics continuously monitors and documents the illegal trade of banned and prohibited beauty products sold in the local market and online to warn the public about the dangers of toxic mercury exposure and to protect human health and the environment from mercury-added cosmetics.

Thony Dizon, Toxics Campaigner of the group revealed that “the proliferation of such prohibited beauty cosmetics in cities and provinces nationwide must end and should be addressed immediately by regulatory agencies.”

“We call the attention of the FDA in Region 8 to conduct post-marketing surveillance and enforcement action to stop the sale and use of these banned toxic products,” he added.

In April, BAN Toxics launched a video documentary titled “The Dark Side of Skin-Lightening” - a 13-minute documentary film shedding light on the hidden dangers lurking within many skin-lightening products (SLPs) due to their mercury content.

The documentary reveals that many mercury-added SLPs continue to proliferate in the local market despite being banned by the FDA. It includes market monitoring conducted by the group in both online and physical stores, showing how easy it is to buy several illicit brands such as Goree, 88 Total White, Collagen Plus, and Faiza, among others.

The documentary aims to raise public awareness, advocate for robust regulations and enforcement policies, and promote international collaboration as key measures to address the issue of mercury-added SLPs.

PH Gov’t Should Investigate SHEIN Products Entering the Country - BAN Toxics

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Following recent findings by the Seoul City government revealing that children’s products sold by the online shopping platform SHEIN contain high levels of toxic chemicals, Environmental NGO BAN Toxics is calling on the Philippine government to conduct its own investigation.

According to news reports, the Seoul government has been conducting safety inspections since last month following growing safety concerns about products sold by Chinese e-commerce platforms. The latest information revealed that seven out of eight tested products from SHEIN contained formaldehyde and phthalates exceeding safety limits. One pair of children’s shoes contained phthalates exceeding the permitted limit by 428 times.

Phthalates, commonly used as plasticizers, belong to a group of endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Exposure to high amounts of phthalates is detrimental to the reproductive, neurological, and developmental systems of humans, with children being even more vulnerable.

Use of phthalates in children’s toys is prohibited under the Food and Drug Administration’s Administrative Order No. 2009-0005-A. However, there is no order yet for apparel items such as clothing, bags, and shoes.

Meanwhile, absorption of large amounts of formaldehyde through any means can result in severe systemic toxicity, leading to metabolic acidosis, tissue and organ damage, and coma.

“We find this very alarming since SHEIN is one of the biggest online e-commerce platforms popular in our country, especially among the youth. Our own regulatory agencies should also make an effort to immediately conduct safety tests of products sold on SHEIN, otherwise, we could be inadvertently exposing our people to highly dangerous chemicals,” says Thony Dizon, BAN Toxics Campaign and Advocacy Officer.

SHEIN is arguably one of the biggest online fashion stores globally, known for its low prices and trendiness. A Time magazine article in 2023 even dubbed it as the world’s most popular fashion brand.

Online sales in the Philippines are regulated by the Department of Trade and Industry through various laws, including RA 7394 (Consumer Act of the Philippines), RA 8293 (Intellectual Property Code), and RA 10372 (An Act Amending Certain Provisions of RA 8293). More recently, a joint administrative order (JAO 22-01) issued by different government agencies has outlined guidelines, laws, and regulations relevant to online businesses and consumers. Sections 6 and 7 of JAO 22-01 emphasize the responsibility of online businesses to protect the public against health and safety hazards.

However, Dizon says enforcement of these regulatory policies remains a challenge for the government.

“Customs and regulatory authorities face challenges in regulating online trade, especially in monitoring the higher volumes of small parcels traded through international couriers. All online purchases are supposed to undergo thorough inspection. Government regulatory systems are vulnerable to misdeclaration, including the use of false information and misclassification regarding the description of goods,” Dizon added.

“BAN Toxics calls on the government to improve our regulatory agencies’ capacity for market surveillance, enforcement, product inspection and analysis, as well as detection capabilities, to effectively curb the widespread trade of products containing toxic chemicals.”



References:

SHEIN Online Platform:

https://ph.shein.com/?url_from=phbingbrandshein_shein01_srsa_20240318&msclkid=06beb5aec41415d89523d3f6a330a9f9



https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2024/05/113_375473.html

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8157593/

https://wwwn.cdc.gov/TSP/MMG/MMGDetails.aspx?mmgid=216&toxid=39#:~:text=Inhalation%20of%20formaldehyde%20can%20cause,is%20no%20antidote%20for%20formaldehyde.

Vermosa Green Run goes greener, gets leaner and gives back more on its third year

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The Green Run at Vermosa, the highly anticipated, sustainability-themed running event, is back on its third year on June 30, Sunday, packing more punch and giving back to the community in more ways than one.

The Run that was launched in 2022 to celebrate life and promote good health after the pandemic, is open to runners of different fitness levels through varied running distances. There is a 3K run for beginners, a 5K category for intermediate runners, a 10K challenge for serious runners, and a 21K half-marathon for elite runners and athletes in training. For the second year in a row, a 1K Dog Run where pet dogs and their owners can bond and get fit together. This year, Green Run will be adding more slots for “furries” and their “fur parents” in response to last year’s clamor for this fun feature.

Fueled by its 2024 theme of ““Go Greener, Get Leaner, Give Back: Run Towards a Brighter Future”, The Green Run will kick off new Vermosa initiatives on its third year. To further the Estates’ advocacy for the environment, young athletes and animal welfare, Vermosa will implement “Carless Weekends” in designated zones to lessen the carbon footprint at Vermosa. It will also launch the Ayala Vermosa Sports Hub Velocity Running Club with weekly running activities for its members and classes conducted by Ayala Vermosa Sports Hub (AVSH) coaches, to sustain a life of fitness and overall wellness.

The third version of the Green Run also added two more partner-beneficiaries this year. The Haribon Foundation will be joined by the Pawssion Project, a non-profit organization that rescues animals suffering from abandonment, abuse, injury or neglect and Takbo Kabitenyo, a running team from Cavite that aims to inspire the youth and promote sports and a healthy lifestyle. Part of the registrants’ fees will go to the support of future young runners from Cavite.

“The Green Run has always been an exhilarating experience for runners – be they casual, serious or elite. The freshness of the air in Vermosa, the lush foliage and the clear pathways have been hailed as real boons by participants. On its third year, the experience will be even better as the whole Vermosa Estate continues to blossom with new features. The Athletes House in the Ayala Vermosa Sports Hub is now accommodating guests, the FIFA-certified football pitch is operational and the new Ayala Mall Vermosa is now open with more food outlets. More importantly, the northern part of Vermosa is being rapidly developed. Runners will find more amenities and conveniences this year,” said Moses “MJ” Aragones, Vermosa Project Development Manager.

Mr. Aragones stated that holding The Green Run yearly is Vermosa’s commitment to the environment and to its vision-mission of promoting sports and a healthy lifestyle. “Our Ayala Vermosa Sports Hub, a state-of-the-art professionally–managed sports facility that has a FINA-standard Olympic size pool, a warm-up pool, an IAAF-standard 400m track oval, a football pitch, an athletes’ lounge and dormitory and a Sante Fitness Lab that are statements of our commitment to health, fitness and the development of Philippine sports,” Aragones added

Those interested to join Green Run may go to ayalaland.myruntime.com to register.





ABOUT VERMOSA AND AVSH

Vermosa, a 725-hectare central business and residential district that straddles the cities of Imus and Dasmarinas in Cavite boasts a complete package of residences, malls, offices, institutions, schools, entertainment venues, government centers, BPOs and a world-class training and lifestyle destination for athletes and fitness enthusiasts. The development is envisioned to be the leading growth center in the South and continues to spur growth in the Daang Hari corridor.

Ayala Vermosa Sports Hub (AVSH) is located within Vermosa. AVSH highlights an active lifestyle by offering athletes a number of sports facilities and wellness amenities including the nine-lane 400-meter track and field oval, football field, Olympic-size lap pool, warm up pool, The Athlete’s House and Lounge, a gym operated by Sante Fitness Lab, and green open spaces. With its state-of-the-art features, AVSH is home to some National Sports Associations and renowned teams in the country.