The initiative will support a holistic approach to drain the harmful chemical and promote the beauty of all skin tones.
Consumers are not aware of the risks
Skin lightening products inhibit the body’s production of melanin, the pigment that plays a role in determining skin, hair, and eye color.
They have been used for years by both men and women around the world – not only to lighten their complexion, but also to fade freckles, blemishes, age spots and treat acne.
However, many people are often unaware that these cosmetics can contain mercury poses risks to human health and the environment.
She can cause Rashes, discoloration and scarring as well as nerve, digestive and immune system damage, but also anxiety and depression.
crossing the border
An international agreement known as Minamata Convention has set mercury limits in skin lightening products at one milligram per kilo.
UNEP cited a 2018 test of 300 products from 22 countries where about 10 percent exceeded that limit, with many containing 100 times the allowable amount.
The use of mercury in skin lightening products is a serious public health problem that requires urgent attention calledSheila Aggarwal-Khan, Director of the Agency’s Industry and Economics Division.
“While governments have agreed to limit the use of mercury through the Minamata Convention, companies continue to do so produce, trade and sell toxic products for consumers,” she noted.
Change harmful behavior
UNEP will lead the three-year project, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). It is administered by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Biodiversity Research Institute (BRI).
With demand projected to rise to $11.8 billion by 2026 — fueled by a growing middle class in Asia Pacific and shifting demographics in Africa and the Caribbean — the use of harmful chemicals in skin lightening products is a global concern.
“This initiative is significant because it is focused not just substitutions for harmful ingredients, but on Awareness raising that can help change behaviors harming both individual health and the planet,” said Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chairman of GEF.
Skin lightening products don’t just pose a risk to users. Children can be exposed through breast milk and food chains can be contaminated when cosmetics are washed down the drain, UNEP said.
The compound can also travel far from where it was spread and accumulate in soil, water, and soil without decomposing.
Increasing Awareness
The WHO has called for urgent action on mercury as one of the most important public health chemicals, said Dr. Annette Prüss, Acting Director of the United Nations Agency’s Division for Environment, Climate Change and Health.
“However, the health effects of mercury have been known for centuries more people should be aware of it now,” she added.
The project will bring together the three countries to align their policies in the cosmetics sector with best practices and create an enabling environment for phasing out mercury.
Changing cultural norms
Attempting to shift broader cultural norms related to skin color is another goal that is being addressed through engagement with organisations, healthcare professionals and influencers working in the field.
Sema Jonsson, founder of the Pantheon of Women Who Inspire, a co-funder of the project, said the organization wanted people to admire and be proud of their natural skin tone.
“We need a new ideal to follow, one that equates with humanity not the fairness of the skin.”
