"Traders agree to end import of cancer-risky cosmetics"

Uganda National Bureau of Standards and traders dealing in cosmetics have agreed to stop the importation and distribution of cosmetics that contain mercury and hydroquinone suspected to cause skin cancer. Both parties met last week at the Ministry of Trade and signed a communique in which they agreed on six steps to ensure cosmetics with deadly substances are removed from the market. “All cosmetics products containing prohibited substances, especially hydroquinone and mercury; and expired products are banned from importation, distribution, sale and use in Uganda.

All importers shall follow the Pre-Verification for Conformity to Standards (PVoC),” a communique reads in part...Hydroquinone and mercury are skin-bleaching agents which were banned because of their numerous health effects on humans...Hydroquinone is a severely toxic and very powerful chemical used in photo processing, the manufacture of rubber and is an active agent in hair dyes.