BSTI Detects Hazardous Mercury Levels In Eight Skincare Brands

The Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) has detected alarmingly high levels of toxic mercury in eight foreign fairness cream brands illegally circulating in the domestic market, prompting an urgent advisory warning traders and consumers against their sale, distribution, and use.

In an official press release issued on Tuesday, 4 August, the national standards body revealed that comprehensive laboratory analyses of skincare samples collected during market surveillance uncovered mercury concentrations vastly exceeding permissible limits. Under the established Bangladesh Standard (BDS-1382), the maximum allowable concentration of mercury in cosmetic products is 1.00 parts per million (ppm). However, laboratory testing confirmed that several tested products contained over a hundred times this safe threshold.

A surge in consumer demand for foreign skin-lightening creams has fuelled an influx of unauthorised cosmetics into Bangladesh. According to BSTI, a substantial proportion of these products enter the country through informal channels, such as passenger luggage or smuggling routes, bypassing customs checks and regulatory quality assessments.

Laboratory findings highlighted severe contamination across several popular products manufactured in Pakistan and China. Tests showed that Chandni Whitening Cream, produced by SJ Enterprise in Pakistan, contained 120.39 ppm of mercury, whilst Due Beauty Cream by Creative Cosmetics contained 123.37 ppm. Other Pakistani brands flagged include Goree Beauty Cream by Goree Cosmetics Private Limited with 56.93 ppm, New Face Beauty Cream by QCI Company with 44.72 ppm, and Noor Whitening Cream by Noor Enterprise with 82.76 ppm. Products manufactured by Lowa International also failed safety standards, with Navia Whitening Cream registering 79.70 ppm and Navia Beauty Cream registering 59.82 ppm. In addition, Natural Pearl Skin Cream, produced by GLDJB (Harbin) Cosmetics Company in China, recorded 67.49 ppm of mercury.

Directing a stern warning to traders and importers, BSTI Director General Kazi Imdadul Hoq emphasised that public health remains non-negotiable. He assured that legal action will be taken against those involved in manufacturing, importing, or marketing cosmetics laden with hazardous chemicals. Mobile courts, regular market surveillance, and random sampling operations are actively being deployed to clear illegal stock from retail shelves. Hoq advised consumers to verify official BSTI certification logos before purchasing skincare items and urged the public to report unauthorized products to the authorities.

Dermatologists and medical experts warn that mercury is a dangerous heavy metal capable of causing severe systemic harm. Prolonged topical application strips the skin’s natural protective barrier, leading to thinning, permanent discolouration, severe allergic reactions, and chronic dermatological conditions. Beyond skin damage, mercury accumulates in internal organs over time, causing irreversible renal damage, neurological impairment, memory loss, and motor dysfunction. For pregnant women, the risks are particularly catastrophic, as absorbed mercury can cross the placenta and severely impair the physical and cognitive development of the unborn child.