{
  "id": 7713886,
  "title": "Exclusive-A decade after mercury ban, toxic skin bleachers still offered on top retailers’ websites",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/exclusive-a-decade-after-mercury-ban-toxic-skin-bleachers-still",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-16T05:12:26.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Investing.com",
    "slug": "investing-com",
    "url": "https://www.investing.com/news/stock-market-news/exclusivea-decade-after-mercury-ban-toxic-skin-bleachers-still-offered-on-top-retailers-websites-4902880"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Over two decades since a global ban on mercury-containing skin-bleaching products, these hazardous items continue to be sold on major online marketplaces, according to a Reuters investigation. Despite the risks these items pose, including kidney, brain, and nervous system damage, they remain available on Amazon, Temu, and TikTok Shop websites in several countries. The World Health Organization deems there is no safe level of mercury exposure, yet products containing between 10 and 100,000 milligrams per liter continue to be listed and sold. This issue stems from the swift effects of mercury on skin lightening, making it a popular choice in markets like Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean. Despite the prohibition, sellers employ deceptive tactics to hide the origin and ingredients of these products. Some removed items resurface under misleading names or by different sellers shortly after. Major platforms have taken steps to remove these items, but numerous examples still persist as of September 1. Regulatory bodies such as the FDA and WHO have expressed their concerns and are taking measures to curb the sale of these toxic products.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}