Events

The First meeting of the Eliminating Mercury Skin Lightening Products project stakeholders group took place online on Tuesday 28 November 2023.

Skin lightening products often contain potentially harmful ingredients, including steroids, hydroquinone and toxic mercury compounds, that not only damage the skin but can lead to serious health concerns.

Using cosmetics to inhibit the body’s production of melanin, leading the skin to appear lighter, is a centuries-old practice that continues in many parts of the world today. However, consumers are often unaware that these products contain a host of harmful chemicals including mercury, causing skin rashes and discoloration, scarring, nervous, digestive and immune system damage, as well as anxiety and depression.

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) funded project, Eliminating Mercury Skin Lightening Products is implemented by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and co-executed by The World Health Organization (WHO) and Biodiversity Research Institute (BRI) with technical support by the UNEP Global Mercury Partnership.

The UNEP Global Mercury Partnership and its Area of work on Mercury in Products, in cooperation with the World Health Organization, organized on 30 November 2020 a webinar to focus on the issue of mercury in skin lightening products. The event looked into the adverse effects of these products, shared information, and discussed some of the practices, experiences as well as challenges faced by countries and other stakeholders in meeting the 2020 deadline for phase out under the Minamata Convention.