Ecowaste's market surveillance from June 9 to 13 shows that at least 12 stores were selling cosmetics that were banned by the Food and Drug Administration for containing the prohibited ingredient mercury.'Twelve stores selling dangerous cosmetics with mercury in a small but progressive city is very alarming,' the group said, noting that 'Mandaluyong City has a total land area of only 11.26 square kilometers.
EcoWaste Coalition national coordinator Aileen Lucero called on the Mandaluyong City government, FDA Regulatory Enforcement Unit and other duty-bearers to 'implement effective measures' that will put an end to the 'unrestrained' sale of mercury cosmetics, which they said can contaminate and harm the human body.'Let us embrace our natural skin tone and avoid exposing ourselves and others to mercury and other hazardous substances in skin-lightening products,' Lucero said.