Ni Mary Ann Santiago
Isang facial cream na mula sa Pakistan, na natukoy ng mga health authorities sa New York City na mapanganib dahil sa mataas na mercury content, ang natuklasang ipinagbibili pa rin sa Pasay City.
Ayon sa EcoWaste Coalition, ang Golden Pearl Beauty Cream ay ipinagbibili pa rin, sa halagang P250, sa Baclaran Bagong Milenyo Plaza at Baclaran LRT Shopping Mall.
Nabatid na ang naturang produkto ay una nang tinukoy ng New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), sa kanilang March 27 Health Advisory No. 6, na kabilang sa 10 skin lightening creams na mapanganib dahil sa mataas na antas ng mercury, na maaaring maging sanhi ng serious at life-threatening damage sa central at peripheral nervous system at bato ng mga tao.
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Ilan pa umano sa mga sakit na maaaring makuha mula sa pagkalantad sa mercury ay skin rash, paresthesia, tremors, irritability, memory loss ay depression, gayundin ang mga renal effects gaya ng proteinuria, acute tubular necrosis, at nephrotic syndrome.
“Golden Pearl Beauty Cream is one of the mercury-laced skin whitening cosmetics from Pakistan that has found its way into the domestic market. Despite being banned by the Philippine FDA in 2014 due to its mercury content, the unlawful sale of this dangerous cosmetic has not stopped,” ani Thony Dizon, chemical safety campaigner, EcoWaste Coalition.
“The use of cosmetics containing mercury as a skin lightening substance, especially by pregnant women and nursing mothers, can harm the developing brain and nervous system of a baby. Pregnant women can pass mercury to their newborns, which may manifest as neurodevelopmental disorders later in life,” aniya pa.
Bumili rin ang EcoWaste ng naturang produkto at nang suriin nila ito sa pamamagitan ng X-Ray Fluorescence spectrometer, natukoy na ang taglay nitong mercury ay 8,640 beses na mas marami sa permissible limit.
Tiniyak ng EcoWaste Coalition na bukod sa Golden Pearly Beauty Cream ay mino-monitor na rin nila ang pagbebenta ng ilang mercury-laced cosmetics mula sa Pakistan, na kinabibilangan ng Aneeza Gold Beauty Cream, Aneeza Saffron Whitening Cream, Face Lift Whitening Beauty Cream, Goree Beauty Cream, Goree Day & Night Whitening Cream, Parley Beauty Cream, at Parley Whitening Cream.
Binalaan rin nila ang publiko laban sa pagbili ng mga naturang produkto.
“We are deeply worried by this seeming invasion of mercury-laden skin lightening products from Pakistan that are now competing with similar contraband cosmetics from mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Law enforcement action is needed to turn the tide,” ani Dizon.
