Unsafe mercury levels found in face creams at shops

Unsafe levels of the banned chemical mercury have been found in two imported facial creams after Trading Standards officers carried out inspections at shops.

Luton Borough Council said laboratory results found that Faiza facial cream contained 19,170 mg/kg of mercury, and Tibet facial cream had 85.92 mg/kg of the chemical in it.

It said mercury is highly toxic and can cause damage to the nervous, digestive and immune systems, as well as the lungs, kidneys, skin, and eyes.

Labour councillor Maria Lovell warned shoppers to be vigilant and to be careful when buying "cheap" imported items that are not fully labelled.

Exposure can be particularly harmful to unborn children, and mercury can accumulate in the body over time, even at very low levels, the authority said.

It can also pollute watercourses and enter the food chain, posing wider environmental risks.

Lovell, portfolio holder for Trading Standards, said: "These illegal and unsafe products were removed from sale before anyone could be harmed, but it is important for shoppers to be vigilant.

"Residents should be particularly careful when considering cheap, imported skincare products that do not provide full labelling information.

"If you already have these products at home, please stop using them immediately.

"If you suspect similar unsafe products are being sold, report it to Trading Standards."

The tested products were also poorly labelled and lacked essential information such as the importer's name and address.

"Without this information, consumers cannot be assured that the product has undergone the required safety assessment, or that a Cosmetic Product Safety Report is available for Trading Standards inspection", the council added.

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