EcoWaste Coalition Urges Government Regulators to Do More to Remove Illegal Product Listings in Online Shopping Sites
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12 December 2024, Quezon City. Amid the 12.12 online shopping sales, the toxics watchdog group EcoWaste Coalition urged government regulatory bodies to take stern measures against the illegal trade of dangerous products in e-commerce and social media platforms.
“To protect public health and the environment, we urge our environmental, health and trade regulators to do more to get online listings for banned and restricted chemicals and products removed,” said Aileen Lucero, National Coordinator, EcoWaste Coalition. “In close coordination with e-commerce and social media platforms, the government can stop the unlawful trade of these dangerous commodities online.”
The group cited the successful action by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) of Singapore that resulted in the removal of 3,336 illegal health product listings from September 23 to October 23, 2024 in what has been described as “a first-of-its-kind large-scale collaboration” with the administrators of Amazon, Carousell, Ebay, Facebook, Lazada, Qoo10, Shopee, and TikTok. The operation also led to the issuance of 1,471 warnings to non-compliant online sellers.
“If Singapore can do it, we believe we can do it as well,” Lucero said, noting that pertinent laws and regulations are already in place and can be applied to protect consumers from products that pose hazards to their health and safety. “We trust in our government regulators and their commitment to uphold the public interest,” she added.
Among the listings removed by the Singaporean authorities were unregistered aesthetic enhancement products, including skin products marketed for facial lifting, skin whitening, and for treating skin conditions like acne and eczema, dermal fillers, prescription- only medicines, medical devices, and adulterated health products. Persons engaged in the illegal trade of such products, according to the HSA, “is liable to prosecution and if convicted, may be imprisoned for up to three years and/or fined up to S$100,000.”
In the Philippines, the EcoWaste Coalition has been calling attention to the unchecked listings of hazardous chemicals and products being offered for sale in e-commerce and social media platforms.
For example, the group has monitored “Christmas special bundle” promos on Facebook for unauthorized Goree cosmetic products that have been banned in multiple countries, including the Philippines, for containing mercury, a potent neurotoxin.
Aside from skin lightening products laced with mercury, the group also observed the unchecked sale in Lazada and Shopee of mercury-based medical devices, as well as mercury for use in dental restoration and for mineral processing.
“This is a clear violation of the Joint Administrative Order (JAO) No. 22-01, which prohibits online businesses from importing, distributing, marketing and selling goods that are not allowed by law,” Lucero said.
The said JAO provides a non-exhaustive list of prohibited or restricted items, including controlled chemicals, toxic substances and hazardous wastes, unauthorized or unlicensed health products, prescription- and pharmacy-only medicines, tobacco and tobacco-related products, counterfeit and smuggled goods, etc.
“If we can do what Singapore has done, the online marketplace will be a lot safer for consumers,” Lucero said. "We are counting on concerned government regulators and e-commerce and social media platform administrators, with the support of the citizenry and the civil society, to make this happen."
The group cited the successful action by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) of Singapore that resulted in the removal of 3,336 illegal health product listings from September 23 to October 23, 2024 in what has been described as “a first-of-its-kind large-scale collaboration” with the administrators of Amazon, Carousell, Ebay, Facebook, Lazada, Qoo10, Shopee, and TikTok. The operation also led to the issuance of 1,471 warnings to non-compliant online sellers.
“If Singapore can do it, we believe we can do it as well,” Lucero said, noting that pertinent laws and regulations are already in place and can be applied to protect consumers from products that pose hazards to their health and safety. “We trust in our government regulators and their commitment to uphold the public interest,” she added.
Among the listings removed by the Singaporean authorities were unregistered aesthetic enhancement products, including skin products marketed for facial lifting, skin whitening, and for treating skin conditions like acne and eczema, dermal fillers, prescription- only medicines, medical devices, and adulterated health products. Persons engaged in the illegal trade of such products, according to the HSA, “is liable to prosecution and if convicted, may be imprisoned for up to three years and/or fined up to S$100,000.”
In the Philippines, the EcoWaste Coalition has been calling attention to the unchecked listings of hazardous chemicals and products being offered for sale in e-commerce and social media platforms.
For example, the group has monitored “Christmas special bundle” promos on Facebook for unauthorized Goree cosmetic products that have been banned in multiple countries, including the Philippines, for containing mercury, a potent neurotoxin.
Aside from skin lightening products laced with mercury, the group also observed the unchecked sale in Lazada and Shopee of mercury-based medical devices, as well as mercury for use in dental restoration and for mineral processing.
“This is a clear violation of the Joint Administrative Order (JAO) No. 22-01, which prohibits online businesses from importing, distributing, marketing and selling goods that are not allowed by law,” Lucero said.
The said JAO provides a non-exhaustive list of prohibited or restricted items, including controlled chemicals, toxic substances and hazardous wastes, unauthorized or unlicensed health products, prescription- and pharmacy-only medicines, tobacco and tobacco-related products, counterfeit and smuggled goods, etc.
“If we can do what Singapore has done, the online marketplace will be a lot safer for consumers,” Lucero said. "We are counting on concerned government regulators and e-commerce and social media platform administrators, with the support of the citizenry and the civil society, to make this happen."
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References:
https://www.hsa.gov.sg/
Examples of Product Listings for Banned Commodities:
Mercury for mining use:
https://shopee.ph/search?
Mercury for dental use:
https://shopee.ph/search?
https://www.lazada.com.ph/tag/
Mercury-based medical devices:
https://shopee.ph/search?
Mercury-laden skin lightening products: https://shopee.ph/
https://www.lazada.com.ph/
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