KINGSTON, Jamaica, (PAHO) – As concerns about the health risks of mercury-added skin-lightening products grow, the Pan American Health Organization convened its National Meeting for the End-of-Project on Eliminating Mercury in Skin Lightening Products in Kingston on February 16, bringing together authorities to review progress and key outcomes from ongoing efforts.
Over the life of the project, efforts were deliberately focused on strengthening capacity at multiple levels of the health and regulatory system. More than 100 healthcare workers were trained, supported by the development of a practical toolkit to guide community-based awareness-raising interventions. At the same time, education and awareness initiatives reached over 800 physicians, expanding the health sector’s ability to identify and respond to mercury exposure. Engagement also extended beyond the clinical setting, bringing together small and large local cosmetic manufacturers in dialogue on safer practices and compliance.
These capacity-building efforts were reinforced by structural improvements, including the development of a strengthened regulatory framework and a systems roadmap to guide sustained national action. Training for customs and enforcement officers further strengthened sustainable monitoring systems using global product-tracking platforms.
To deepen understanding of the issue at a societal level, Jamaica conducted its first national behavioural insights research to better assess knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes toward skin lightening. The project also contributed to global learning through knowledge sharing with regions in Asia and Africa, including collaboration with project countries such as Sri Lanka and Gabon.
The evidence presented at the meeting reinforced the urgency of the issue. Ongoing product testing and market surveillance in the local marketplace continue to raise concern. Analyses confirmed that some skin-lightening products for sale in Jamaica contain mercury, with concentrations far exceeding 1000 ppm. The internationally accepted safety limit for mercury in skin cosmetics is 0 ppm. Such levels pose a serious risk of toxic mercury exposure, particularly when products are used frequently, over long periods, or in combination with other products.
Speaking at the meeting, Ian Stein, PAHO/WHO Representative in Jamaica, underscored the seriousness of the threat, stating, “Mercury has no place in products that people apply to their skin. Women and men alike may be exposed by these products, often without knowing the risks. The health consequences can be serious and long-term, particularly for women of child-bearing age and for children. Preventing exposure requires sustained action across health, environment, trade, and consumer protection systems.”
Stein further noted that addressing the problem requires coordinated action across multiple sectors. In Jamaica, this collaboration includes the ministry of health and wellness, the ministry of economic growth and job creation, the national environment and planning agency, the Jamaica Customs Agency, the Bureau of Standards Jamaica, and the University of the West Indies. International partners also play key roles, including the United Nations Environment Programme and the Biodiversity Research Institute, with support from the Global Environment Facility.
Dr Jaquiline Bisasor-McKenzie, Jamaica’s chief medical officer, expressed a strong commitment to elevating issues related to skin health within the country’s national health priorities.
Jamaica is a Party to the Minamata Convention on Mercury, a legally binding global agreement designed to protect human health and the environment by eliminating mercury-added products, including cosmetics such as skin-lightening creams.
