Toxic Trade in the Shadows: Environmental Watchdog Sounds Alarm on Illegal Mercury Sales on Facebook Marketplace

 

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Metro Manila, Philippines — As the Philippines marked the fifth anniversary of its ratification of the Minamata Convention on Mercury, what should have been a milestone in environmental protection became a grim reminder of a lingering threat. On July 9, 2025, the environmental advocacy group BAN Toxics rang the alarm bells: elemental mercury, one of the world’s most dangerous neurotoxins, is being openly traded on Facebook Marketplace.

In an age where online platforms dominate everyday commerce, this revelation has sparked outrage and fear. Despite the Philippines’ legal commitments to eliminate the use and trade of mercury—a substance known to inflict irreversible damage on the brain, kidneys, and environment—23 active online listings were discovered across cities including Makati, Quezon City, Manila, Cebu, Iloilo, and even Baguio. These listings, offering mercury in flasks priced up to ₱71,000 for 34.5 kg, describe it enticingly as a “high-density, silver-colored liquid metal” used in gold mining and scientific applications.

But what they fail to disclose is its deadly legacy.

A Deadly Legacy in Liquid Silver

Mercury, or quicksilver, is not just another chemical. It is the villain behind one of the most devastating environmental disasters in history—the Minamata Disease of Japan, which inspired the global Minamata Convention. Victims of mercury poisoning suffered neurological breakdowns, birth defects, and, in many cases, death.

Despite this dark history, the substance continues to find its way into the hands of those seeking profit over people, slipping past the protective barriers of legislation and digital regulation. According to Thony Dizon, Advocacy and Campaign Officer of BAN Toxics, “It is appalling that toxic mercury continues to be sold openly, especially through online platforms.”

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Health (DOH), and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have all issued stringent policies and bans regarding mercury use—from outlawing mercury thermometers and dental amalgam to regulating chemical imports under DENR Administrative Order No. 2019-20.

Yet the digital marketplace seems immune to these rules.

Facebook, Lazada, Shopee: A Toxic Supply Chain?

The group’s monitoring not only implicated Facebook Marketplace but also identified Facebook groups and isolated listings on Lazada and Shopee. These platforms, which boast millions of users, have apparently become unwitting facilitators of a hazardous underground trade.

“Online platforms have a moral and legal responsibility to police listings involving banned substances,” emphasized Dizon. BAN Toxics is now calling for a coordinated crackdown, urging the DENR-EMB, DTI, and tech companies to trace the sellers and take down illegal listings immediately.

Blood Gold: Mercury in Small-Scale Mining

The likely destination of these mercury sales? Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM).

Though its use is banned, mercury remains a mainstay in ASGM communities—poor, remote, and under-supported sectors that rely on low-cost methods to extract gold. According to Arleen Honrade, Community Development Officer of BAN Toxics and Secretary of the National Coalition of Small-Scale Miners of the Philippines, Inc. (NCSSMPI), many miners are trapped in a cycle of poverty and dependence on toxic practices.

“This is not just an environmental issue; it's a justice issue,” said Honrade. “The lack of support for mercury-free technologies keeps these communities in danger.”

BAN Toxics and NCSSMPI are advocating for the amendment of Republic Act No. 7076—the People’s Small-Scale Mining Act—to institutionalize better funding, training, and access to safe, sustainable mining alternatives.

A Call for Accountability and Action

Perhaps the most haunting question is this: How is mercury still getting into the country?

With importation heavily restricted under Article 3 of the Minamata Convention, the group suspects illegal smuggling and transboundary trade, likely enabled by weak customs enforcement and anonymous e-commerce channels.

BAN Toxics is pushing for intergovernmental cooperation—a united front involving customs, digital platforms, environmental agencies, and law enforcement. “We must plug the gaps,” the group declared, “before more lives are lost or harmed.”

Final Warning or Wake-Up Call?

On what should have been a celebration of progress, the country was instead reminded that regulations are only as strong as their enforcement. Mercury, invisible but insidious, continues to poison not just rivers and soils, but systems—both environmental and digital.

The question now looms over us all: Will the government and tech giants act, or will toxic mercury continue to flow silently beneath the surface of Filipino society?

One thing is certain—BAN Toxics won't be silenced. And neither should we.

For updates and calls to action, follow Wazzup Pilipinas and support the fight for a mercury-free Philippines.

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