Toxic Beauty: EcoWaste Coalition Sounds Alarm on Mercury-Laced Cosmetics Still Sold Online Despite New Law

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

QUEZON CITY, 18 July 2025 — In the dark corners of the internet where viral marketing meets consumer desire, a dangerous trade thrives unchecked: mercury-laced cosmetics disguised as miracle skin-lightening products. Despite the full enforcement of Republic Act No. 11967, or the Internet Transactions Act, unscrupulous sellers continue to exploit e-commerce platforms to promote and peddle adulterated beauty products that pose grave threats to public health.

EcoWaste Coalition, a staunch environmental health watchdog, is once again sounding the alarm.

Promos of Poison

Skin whitening creams with high levels of toxic mercury are being marketed aggressively through enticing online promos: “Buy 5, Get 1 Free,” “Super Flash Sale,” “Only ₱150 Today,” and similar gimmicks that cloak poison in affordability. These cosmetic contraband items—illegally imported from Thailand and Pakistan—have all been flagged as dangerous by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The notorious Goree Beauty Cream with Lycopene, Goree Day & Night Beauty Cream, and Goree Gold 24K Beauty Cream, along with the 88 Total White Underarm Cream, are being sold with impunity on Shopee, Lazada, Facebook, and TikTok despite being explicitly banned years ago due to their toxic mercury content.

“Digital dealers are manipulating the system, exploiting the aesthetics-driven aspirations of consumers while willfully disregarding public health,” said Aileen Lucero, National Coordinator of the EcoWaste Coalition. “These promos are more than just false advertising—they are public health landmines.”

The Law Is In Effect, But Is It Enforced?

Republic Act No. 11967 was envisioned to safeguard consumers in the ever-evolving digital marketplace. With its full implementation taking effect just last June 20 after an 18-month transition period, advocates had high hopes it would rein in unlawful online transactions.

But the grim reality remains: enforcement is faltering.

“The internet is not a lawless jungle,” emphasized Atty. Grip Bueta, legal counsel of EcoWaste. “Now that RA 11967 is in full effect, e-commerce platforms must be held accountable if they turn a blind eye to illegal and unethical sales happening within their domains. Our laws must evolve with technology, not trail behind it.”

The Internet Transactions Act also established the E-Commerce Bureau (ECB) under the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), tasked with implementing the law and monitoring online marketplaces for compliance. But the EcoWaste Coalition says the ECB must now show it has teeth—and bite.

“We are pinning our hopes on the ECB’s capacity to act decisively,” Lucero added. “Online marketplaces should not be safe havens for toxic trade. The people deserve better.”

The Mercury Menace

Mercury is not just another banned substance—it is a known neurotoxin. Exposure can lead to kidney damage, skin disorders, and long-term neurological impairments. Women of childbearing age, adolescents, and babies in the womb are especially vulnerable to its toxic effects.

Despite decades of advocacy and bans by the World Health Organization and local regulatory bodies, mercury-laden skin lightening products continue to circulate—often smuggled, repackaged, and disguised to evade detection.

“These products are silent killers,” said Lucero. “The damage is not always immediate. But it accumulates—day by day, layer by layer—under the false promise of fairness and beauty.”

The Hidden Cost of Online Convenience

The digital revolution brought convenience, speed, and access. But it also brought risks. Online sellers can now reach thousands—if not millions—of consumers at the click of a button. And with weak enforcement, dangerous goods can be moved faster than regulators can react.

“This is why regulation in the digital era must be agile, proactive, and uncompromising,” said Bueta. “The online marketplace should not be a blind spot in our country’s fight for consumer safety.”

The EcoWaste Coalition urges consumers to remain vigilant. It calls on digital platforms not just to comply with the law, but to become proactive allies in protecting public health.

Hope Through Vigilance

Though frustrated by ongoing violations, the EcoWaste Coalition remains hopeful. The group believes that with strengthened coordination among the DTI, FDA, Bureau of Customs, and civil society—and with the support of alert consumers—the tide can still turn.

Their message is clear: beauty should never come at the cost of health.

“Lazada, Shopee, TikTok, Facebook—you are not just tech companies. You are gatekeepers of public trust,” Lucero declared. “If you let these toxins slip through your platforms, you’re complicit.”

In the era of likes, shares, and flash sales, the digital world may seem intangible. But its consequences are all too real.

Let the new law be more than words on paper. Let it be a shield for every Filipino scrolling for skincare, unaware that behind the glow, a hidden danger waits.

SIDEBAR: How to Spot Mercury-Laced Cosmetics Online

Too-good-to-be-true skin whitening promises

Lack of FDA registration number

Packaging written in foreign languages only

No manufacturer or distributor information

Heavy discounts, bundles, or flash sale gimmicks

If you suspect a product is unsafe, report it to the FDA and avoid sharing or promoting links that could endanger others.

Stay informed. Stay safe. Let’s build a toxic-free digital marketplace—together.

Deadly Adornments: The Hidden Peril Lurking in Children's Hair Clips

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

They are bright, cute, and seemingly harmless—those little plastic hair clips that adorn the heads of young children, tucked lovingly into ponytails and braids. But beneath the colorful bows and playful shapes lies an invisible danger that parents across the Philippines can no longer afford to ignore.

Toxics Watchdog BAN Toxics has issued a chilling warning: children’s hair accessories sold in budget shops and sidewalk stalls may be laced with brain-damaging chemicals.

In a recent market monitoring operation, the group purchased 30 sets of children’s hair clips—priced affordably between ₱60 and ₱80—and tested them using a state-of-the-art Vanta C Series Handheld XRF Analyzer. The findings were nothing short of alarming. Every single sample contained dangerously high levels of lead, with some reaching a staggering 1,830 parts per million (ppm)—a figure exponentially higher than globally recognized safety limits.

The hair clips were made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a cheap synthetic plastic linked to numerous health risks. But for children, whose small bodies are more vulnerable to environmental toxins, the consequences of exposure can be devastating.

“These products are not just unsafe—they're silent weapons against our children’s health,” warned Thony Dizon, Advocacy and Campaign Officer of BAN Toxics.

The Invisible Threat

Hair clips seem innocent enough, but Dizon explains that their danger lies in the way they are used: “Hair clips rest directly on the scalp, sometimes for hours. Toxic chemicals in the plastic can leach into the skin and hair, especially under heat and sweat.”

It’s a pathway of exposure that many would never suspect. And yet, the effects can be life-altering.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), even minimal lead exposure can impair a child’s IQ, learning ability, and behavior. It can delay development, shorten attention spans, and in severe cases, lead to irreversible brain damage.

The United States is taking action. In May 2025, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a sweeping recall of children’s painted hair clips due to elevated lead levels. But here in the Philippines, the regulatory landscape remains dangerously lax.

“We still have no comprehensive law that ensures children’s products are tested for toxic content before they reach store shelves,” Dizon stressed.

A Call for Legislative Action

BAN Toxics is now urging lawmakers to treat this issue with the urgency it demands. The group has long advocated for a “Children’s Products Safety Law” that would:

Require pre- and post-market chemical testing

Enforce clear labeling of materials and chemical content

Mandate regular inspections of imported goods

Penalize violators with stronger sanctions

Such legislation, they argue, could prevent a public health crisis hiding in plain sight.

“What we’re seeing is a systemic failure to protect our children from daily toxic exposures. This cannot continue,” Dizon added.

What Parents Can Do Now

While waiting for lawmakers to act, BAN Toxics encourages parents and guardians to be vigilant. Here are five immediate steps families can take:

Buy only FDA-registered or notified children’s products

Choose accessories that have passed safety standards for toxic substances

Opt for natural materials like wood, bamboo, or organic cotton fabric

Avoid cheap, multi-colored, or metallic-finished items that may contain unsafe dyes or coatings

Purchase from reputable brands that practice ethical and transparent manufacturing

“Parents shouldn’t have to gamble with their children’s health just to save a few pesos,” said Dizon.

A Poisoned Innocence

Hair clips are supposed to be expressions of joy, youth, and personality. Yet behind the glitter and sparkle of these decorative trinkets lurks a poison that science has long condemned. The tragedy lies in how ordinary the threat appears—how something so small, so decorative, could cause such deep and irreversible harm.

The findings of BAN Toxics serve as a wake-up call: if we continue to allow toxic products to flood our markets unchecked, then we are complicit in poisoning the very generation we are supposed to protect.

The question now is not just what is in our children's accessories—but why nothing has been done to stop it.

Let this not be just another headline. Let it be a turning point. For every child whose tiny fingers reach for a pretty hair clip, may we finally say: “This is safe. This is clean. This is just.”

𝐏𝐚𝐠𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐬 𝐧𝐠 𝐔𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐠𝐚 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐬𝐚 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫-𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦 (𝐌𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐏) 𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐥𝐭𝐚 𝐚𝐭 𝐏𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐮𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐚𝐝 𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐫𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐢 𝐀𝐥𝐭𝐚, 𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐩

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

Ginanap ang Seremonya ng Pagtatapos ng unang batch ng programang Master-Apprentice Language Learning Program (MALLP) sa wikang Alta para sa Taóng Panuruan 2024–2025 noong 1 Hulyo 2025 sa Aurora State College and Technology (ASCOT), Baler, Aurora. Limang apprentice na Alta ang nagtapos sa naturang programa. Ang programang ito ay nakatuón sa isahang pagtuturo ng wika (one-on-one) ng tagapagsalita ng wika (master) at isang mag-aaral ng wika na nasa hustong gulang (adult apprentice).

Pagkaraan ng seremonya ng pagtatapos, inilunsad din ang Ortograpiyang ti Alta (Ortograpiya ng Alta). Naglalaman ito ng mga tuntunin sa pagsulat ng wikang Alta na makatutulong sa paggamit nito sa paaralan. Binuo ito ng mga elder at komunidad ng Alta sa Aurora, mga guro ng Kagawaran ng Edukasyon-Aurora, at Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) noong Pebrero 2023.

Dinaluhan ito ng Pangalawang Pangulong Akademiko ng ASCOT, Dr. Maria Luz Cabatan; Direktor ng Extension and Rural Development Office-ASCOT, Gng. Glenda Gines; Direktor ng Sentro ng Wika at Kultura-ASCOT, Bb. Angelica Vallejo; mga guro sa Kagawaran ng Edukasyon-Aurora na sina Gng. Sandra Benitez, Gng. Mercy Camonao, at Gng. Mariane Pelor; Chieftain Perlita Marquez, mga master, at apprentice ng Alta; at mga mag-aaral sa ASCOT.

Pinangunahan ng KWF ang gawain, sa pamamagitan nina Arthur P. Casanova, PhD, Tagapangulo, sa ilalim ng Sangay ng Lingguwistika at Aplikadong Lingguwistika kasama sina Lourdes Z. Hinampas, Punó ng Sangay, at Jennifer S. Bactol, katuwang sina Gng. Gines at Bb. Vallejo ng ASCOT.