Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso: Burkina Faso is set to implement a ban on cosmetic products containing mercury, particularly those used for depigmentation, by 2025. This decision, aimed at prioritizing the protection of women and children, comes in response to the significant health and environmental risks posed by mercury.
According to Burkina Information Agency, an environmental inspector at the General Directorate of Environmental Preservation (DGPE), mercury’s toxicity is a major concern for human health and the environment. He highlighted mercury’s detrimental effects on various bodily systems, including the nervous system, lungs, kidneys, eyes, thyroid, gums, immune system, and skin. Mercury exposure is linked to memory loss, language issues, and can be transmitted from mother to child through the placenta and breast milk.
Bationo noted the lack of specific legislation in Burkina Faso regarding cosmetic products containing mercury and expressed concern over the use of such products for depigmentation, especially among young girls. In a bid to address this issue, Burkina Faso, along with Botswana, proposed an amendment to Annex A, Parts I and II of the Minamata Convention on Mercury during the Conference of the Parties in Geneva, Switzerland, from October 30 to November 3, 2023. This amendment aims to establish a clear timeline after which the production, import, or export of mercury-containing cosmetics will be prohibited.
The adoption of this proposal sets a firm deadline of 2025 for the ban’s implementation. Burkina Faso is actively developing strategies to curb the advertisement, display, and sale of such cosmetics. As part of a collaborative project with Senegal, Togo, and Burkina Faso under the SPECIFIC INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM PROJECT, the country plans to create specific regulatory texts to enhance the legal and institutional framework.
The DGPE is considering a range of measures, including public awareness campaigns about the dangers of mercury-based cosmetics, providing opinions on the list of such products, and recommending that companies in Burkina Faso obtain licenses and approvals for mercury-free ingredients. The DGPE also suggests discouraging insurance policies for illnesses related to the use of mercury-containing cosmetics.
Bationo emphasized that after raising awareness and disseminating the new regulations, legal action could be considered against those who fail to comply with these rules, underscoring the government’s commitment to safeguarding public health and the environment.