Illegal and toxic mercury-added cosmetics. Global Cops Called on to Investigate Illegal Production and Trade of Toxic Skin Lighteners.
In a landmark decision, the Sixth Conference of the Parties (COP-6) of the Minamata Convention invited the Secretariat of the Minamata Convention on Mercury to work with Interpol, the World Customs Organisation and others to investigate the manufacture, import and export of mercury-added cosmetics.
COP-6 also decided to work towards closing the loopholes legally allowing mercury compounds to be traded, as this is compromising the Convention’s objective, particularly related to lacing cosmetics with mercury.
Elena Lymberidi-Settimo, Senior Advisor on Mercury at the European Environmental Bureau and International Co-coordinator of the ZMWG, said: “This decision clearly acknowledges that tackling the illegal trade in mercury-added cosmetics requires a coordinated, networked approach. This call for international collaboration is a critical step toward enforcing the Convention and reducing the global circulation of these hazardous products.”
The Minamata Convention has prohibited mercury in cosmetics, allowing up to 1 ppm until 2021 and banning it entirely by the end of 2025.
Despite known health risks, manufacturers add mercury compounds into their formulations of creams to lighten the skin. Then distributors and retailers, including online platforms, profit from poisoning people around the globe by intentionally not listing the hazards or any other consumer precautions.
Michael Bender, International Co-coordinator of the Zero Mercury Working Group, said: “This represents a major milestone in our multi-year effort to stop the illegal production and trade in mercury-added skin lighteners. For far too long, unscrupulous manufacturers have been supplying unsuspecting consumers, increasingly through online markets such as Amazon, under the guise of legitimate commerce.”
In 2024 and earlier in 2025, ZMWG and its partners in the U.S., EU, India, Mexico, Philippines, Pakistan, Kenya and the UAE purchased suspect skin lighteners in their respective countries.
The results, presented in two studies, revealed that of the 68 suspect creams, 60 contained mercury, with an average mercury concentration recorded via lab testing of more than 10,000 ppm.
While progress is being made, much more needs to be done to protect people from being poisoned by toxic creams containing the dangerous neurotoxin, mercury.
For example, following a recent settlement in the U.S., Amazon has implemented a new protective approach requiring third-party sellers to first test their creams for mercury and other hazards before they can post products for sale. However, outside the U.S. it appears that Amazon is not sufficiently motivated to block illegal sales, particularly into the global south.
In a second example, the Competition Commission of Pakistan recently announced enforcement actions targeting domestic manufacturers of mercury-added cosmetics, yet we are still awaiting confirmation.
Mercury and mercury compounds lighten the skin by suppressing the production of melanin and can remove age spots, freckles, blemishes and wrinkles. According to multiple studies, the use of hazardous Hg/SWCs often results in adverse health effects as it may lead to rashes, skin discolouration and blotching.
Long-term use may damage the eyes, lungs, kidneys, and digestive and immune systems.
For more information
– The official decisions will be published by the Secretariat of the Minamata Conventions here: https://minamataconvention.org/en/meetings/cop6#cop-documents. More details can be provided upon request.
– ZMWG Poisoning for Profit: Amazon’s double standard, October 2025: https://www.zeromercury.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/ZMWG-Amazon-Double-Standard-Oct-2025-Full-Report.pdf
– Executive summaries are available in English, French and Spanish
– ZMWG Zero Out Toxic Production, October 2025: https://www.zeromercury.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/ZMWG-Zero-Out-Toxic-Production-Oct-2025-Full-Report.pdf
– Executive summaries of the report are available in French, Spanish and English
– US State of California Attorney General and citizen enforcers settlement with Amazon: https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/attachments/press-docs/pre-filed%20copy%20executed%20amazon%20face%20creams%20proposed%20cj.pdf
– ZMWG’s Skin Lightening Campaign: https://www.zeromercury.org/mercury-added-skin-lightening-creams-campaign/
– “Global criminal enterprise”: Mercury loopholes in cosmetics trade under fire at COP-6”published in Personal Care Insights, 4 November 2025: https://www.personalcareinsights.com/news/minamata-cop6-mercury-compound-loophole.html
– https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/2025/10/15/ccp-launches-nationwide-probe-into-mercury-laden-skin-whitening-creams/
The Zero Mercury Working Group (ZMWG) is an international coalition of more than 110 public interest environmental and health non-governmental organizations from over 55 countries from around the world formed in 2005 and coordinated by the European Environmental Bureau and the Mercury Policy Project.
ZMWG partners included Toxics Link in India; Ban Toxics in the Philippines, the Sustainable Development Policy Institute in Pakistan, CEJAD in Kenya, the European Environmental Bureau in France and Belgium; the Mercury Policy Project in the U.S.; Casacem in Mexico and an individual collaborator in the United Arab Emirates.
About the European Environmental Bureau
The European Environmental Bureau (EEB) is Europe’s largest network of environmental citizens’ organisations, standing for environmental justice, sustainable development and participatory democracy. Our experts work on climate change, biodiversity, circular economy, air, water, soil, chemical pollution, as well as policies on industry, energy, agriculture, product design and waste prevention. We are also active on overarching issues such as sustainable development, good governance, participatory democracy and the rule of law in Europe and beyond.
We have over 180 members in over 40 countries.
