Mercury found in skin lightening and anti-ageing creams sold online – study

Zero Mercury Working Group tested 271 products from 15 countries and found nearly half to be contaminated at levels above 1ppm

Mercury contamination is widespread among skin lightening and anti-ageing creams sold on online platforms like eBay, Alibaba and Amazon, a new analysis of hundreds of products has found.

The Zero Mercury Working Group (ZMWG) tested 271 products bought in 15 countries over a 13-month period and found nearly half to be contaminated with the dangerous heavy metal at levels above 1 part per million (ppm), the legal limit in the US. The EU, meanwhile, doesn't allow any mercury in cosmetics.