Ouagadougou , Burkina Faso and Botswana have called for a total ban on the advertising and sale of cosmetic products containing mercury. This is what the Russian News Agency (TASS) reports, citing the South African newspaper Daily Maverick.

This proposal was made by these two African countries during a meeting of countries participating in the Minamata Convention on Mercury, which is being held in Geneva, Switzerland, from October 30 to November 3.

Mercury is widely used in the production of whitening creams popular on the African continent. The substance inhibits the production of melanin pigment, affecting skin color. However, using these products for a long time, the skin's protection against bacteria and fungal infections decreases and rashes and cracks appear, the edition reports.

Previously, participating States in the Convention committed to ban the sale of skin whitening products high in mercury. Despite the ban, the illegal trade in cosmetic products with a high mercury content continues, including via the internet, the newspaper points out.

Source: Burkina Information Agency