Uganda National Bureau of standards maintains the ban on cosmetics that contain mercury and hydroquinone in Uganda, in line with its mandate of protecting the public and environment against harmful and dangerous and sub-standard products.

A previous survey done by UNBS indicates that 31% of the samples brought from the market and tested in UNBS’ internationally accredited laboratories were found to contain hydroquinone, contrary to the requirements of US EAS 377-2:2013 and most of these were imported products.

Some of the imported products were labelled as containing hydroquinone, though written as Benzene-1, 4- diol; 1, 4 hydroxy benzene; 1, 4-Benzenediol or Benzene-1, 4-Diol whereas others do not declare at all, which is harmful to unsuspecting clients.

The 32 brands tested and found to have Hydroquinone or Mercury or both include; PRODUCT DESCRIPTION  BRAND NAME

Body Lotion     Nature Secrete Lightening Moisturizing Body Lotion with Carrot Skin Lotion                        B Light Extra Fort Lightening Body Milk with carrot Extracts Skin Lotion                        Clinic Clear whitening body Lotion

Skin Lotion      Nature Secrete Lightening Moisturizing Body Lotion with Carrot Skin Lotion                        Fair and White (F & W) Britening and clarifying Carrot

Skin Lotion      White Secret Lightening Body Lotion Body Lotion              White Express – Carrotte

Body Lotion     Totem (Carotte+bave d'Escargot) Body Lotion              Light Up Dark Spots Correcting Body Lotion              Rapid Clair Super Éclair Assant

Body Lotion     B Light Extra Fort Lightening Body Milk with carrot Extracts Body Lotion              White Secret

Body Lotion       Nature Secrete; Carotte

Body Lotion       White Express – Eclaircissant Lait

Body Cream       Lemon Clear Clearing beauty cream treatment

Body Cream    Beauty Clinic whitening Body Cream (Skin repair and anti-aging) Body Cream              Maxi Claire

Body Cream    Bio Perfect Light Body Cream              White Secret Body Cream              Beation

Body Cream    Miki Clair Plus Body Cream              Totem

Body Cream    Bio Plus Carrot Body Cream              Carolight

Body Cream    Cocopulp Body Cream Bio Plus Carrot

Body Lotion       Blight Extra fort

Body Cream    Totem (Carotte+bave d'Escargot) Body Cream              Teint Clair

Body Cream    Rapid Clair Carotte Body Cream              White Secrete

Body Cream       Light Up Dark Spots Correcting

A full list of banned cosmetics is available on the UNBS website.

Hydroquinone and Mercury are common active ingredients found in a number of skin care products, designed specifically to lighten or bleach the skin.

However, Research has established that hydroquinone is a carcinogenic or a cancer causing chemical and it has also been linked to the medical condition known as ochronosis in which the skin becomes dark and thick;

The World Health Organization also states that Mercury, a key ingredient in most of the skin care products, causes Kidney damage, skin damage, rash and reduces the skins ability to resist bacterial and fungal infections. It adds that the other ingredient.

Cosmetics are governed by a number of compulsory Uganda Standards including Uganda standard (US EAS 377-1:2013, which states that there shall not be any hydroquinone or mercury in cosmetics to be used for skin applications and that only 2% hydroquinone is permissible for cosmetics to be used on hair.

In 2016, UNBS banned the manufacture, importation and sale of cosmetics that contain mercury and hydroquinone. The ban was effected after UNBS tested some cosmetics and were found to contain mercury exceeding the level permitted by the UNBS standards (US EAS 377-1:2013), while others contained potent ingredients like hydroquinone.

The sale of substandard products is an offence under Section 17 of the UNBS Act as amended 2013. Once found guilty, a first time offender is required to pay a minimum fine of one thousand currency points (which translates to UGX 20M) and not exceeding two thousand five hundred currency points (UGX 50M) or imprisonment for a period of not less than two years and not exceeding five years or both.

Besides Uganda, Hydroquinone has been banned in many other countries like Japan, the European Union and Australia.

UNBS would like to inform the public that cosmetics containing hydroquinone on the market have been smuggled into the country through various porous borders and are not cleared by UNBS.

UNBS also advises the public to be cautious when purchasing cosmetic products from the market. It is advisable to buy such products from reliable and reputable sources such as registered pharmacies or established retail stores and always look out for the expiry dates as well as the ingredients to ensure that there is no Mercury or Hydroquinone.

UNBS further encourages the public to report cases of substandard products on the market using our toll free line: 0800133133 or WhatsApp line 0713227580.

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