Mercury Poisoning Associated with International and Local Skin Whitening Creams in Pakistan
16 November 2018
Sustainable Development Policy Institute has released a new report on mercury exposure from skin whitening creams in Pakistan. Read the executive summary below and download the full publication at the link above.
Excessive use of Skin Whitening Creams (SWCs) has become a threat to human health and environment due to the presence of 3rd most toxic chemical “Mercury” as one of the ingredients. Toxicity of mercury and its transport (through air, water, aquatic species & birds) is well established and reported which stimulated the international world to curb this menace and resultantly, Minamata Convention on Mercury (MCM) emerged in 2013, to combat this hazard all over the world. MCM has been already ratified by over 100 countries. Pakistan being one of the signatories of MCM, has taken several initiatives, as responsible nation of the world.