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 into the challenges and potential measures for enforcing these restrictions, drawing on the ZMWG 2019 Enforcement Report and EIA’s 2023 Mercury Report.
The consultation follows the COP Decision MC-5/5, which mandates the preparation of a report to be submitted to COP-6. The draft report should be made available to Parties and relevant stakeholders in January 2025.
All contributions from 20 governments, six NGOs, and two regional authorities, are accessible on the website of the Minamata Convention. The intersessional work webpage has been accordingly updated.
The submission is accessible here.
Image by the Minamata Convention.
