A Philippines-based environmental pressure group is taking its fights against adulterated and potentially harmful cosmetics across the region, after securing a number of notable victories in South East Asia.
E-commerce companies such as Shopee and Lazada are being urged to lead the fight against the sale of adulterated whitening products and the problem of plastic waste pollution.
The mercury concentration in hair samples of skin lightening cosmetic users has been found to be three times higher than those who don’t use such products.
Online retail giants Amazon and eBay have pulled several illegal skin lightening creams containing mercury sold in the UK, Belgium and US following investigative findings from international NGO coalition The Zero Mercury Working Group (ZMWG).