October 17, 2024
Exposure to harmful chemicals, including mercury, claims the lives of over 1.5 million people globally each year. As research shows, the overwhelming majority among them are women. Such an imbalance reveals yet another dark dimension of gender inequality that puts lives of the female part of the population at a constant unnecessary […]
September 28, 2024
In a joint-statement signed by 59 organisations, united NGOs and European industry warn that online sellers could escape the EU’s product sustainability and chemical safety requirements using the E-market loopholes. This affects online sales of textiles, electronics, furniture, cosmetics and any product that would be covered by the Eco-design for Sustainable Product Regulation (ESPR) and chemical safety standards. The statement aligns with the Zero Mercury […]
June 28, 2024
The Zero Mercury Working Group (ZMWG) and the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) submitted information to the Minamata Convention’s open consultation, addressing challenges in preventing the manufacture, import, and export of mercury-added cosmetics listed in Part A of Annex I. These cosmetics include most notably skin-lightening products. Our submission provides insights […]
May 30, 2024
Today, the Council of the EU gave its final green light to the revised text of the Regulation on Mercury, sealing the deal and leading by example in the fight against mercury pollution in the EU and abroad. As a start, the revised text will put an end to the export […]
May 28, 2024
The desire for many dark-skinned women – and increasingly men – to whiten their complexion is rife, feeding a growing skin whitening industry estimated at USD 9.88 billion in 2021. This phenomenon speaks volumes of the long-lasting and pervasive impact of the discriminatory values of colonial times, which dictate a predominantly ‘white’ standard on beauty, […]
