Climate change minister announces crackdown on fairness creams

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Web Desk
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Geo.tv/Illustration

ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to carry out a crackdown on fairness creams, the minister for climate change announced in a press conference.

Addressing a press conference here in the federal capital, Zartaj Gul Wazir, the state minister for climate change, said companies selling cheap fairness creams were contributing to damage to people's skin.

Wazir said her ministry was testing and analysing the ingredients used by companies that manufacture and sell fairness creams as Pakistan is a member of the Minamata Convention on Mercury.

The ministry, she added, learnt that only three of the 59 local and international brands of fairness creams — the samples of which were sent to the laboratory for testing — were in accordance with the international standards.

The remaining 56 brands were using dangerous levels of mercury in their fairness creams. By December 31, when lawmaking pertaining to this issue is completed, adequate action would be taken against such companies.

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