Thank you Mr. Chairman for allowing me this very brief intervention with reference to UNEP chemicals in products (CiP) activity. We appreciate UNEP CiP program. Our concerns are on two of the chemicals added products - mercury dental amalgam and skin whitening creams. Distinguished Delegates, our recently completed research work at SDPI, carried out with the support of ZMWG and Global Alliance for Mercury Free Dentistry, has indicated very high levels of mercury in indoor air at some dental clinics - as high as above 20, 000 ng/meter cube of air, against the recommended reference level of 300 ng/meter cube of air. Our on-going study of skin whitening creams brands openly sold in the markets all around, have revealed alarming high mercury content in some of the SWCs brands, as high as 20,000 ppm, against the allowed limit of 1PPM. Publications on these findings are available at the stalls of ZMWG and GA for MFD. According to many scientific findings the adverse effects of mercury on human health are well established, well described and well known. We wish to emphasize the dire need and request the distinguished delegates for regulating in their respective countries these and other mercury added products, to protect public health, at the earliest possible.The labels on these mercury added products need to clearly indicate the constituting ingredients and their amount, including mercury, in local languages and the sale of the products injurious to public health be banned. Finally, we believe that the recently finalized and approved UNEP document on "Chemicals in Products (CiP)" under CiP program for information exchange along the supply chain, could be most helpful in regulating chemicals added products, including mercury containing products and its enforcement by the national governments in their respective countries, inshallah. Thank you Mr. Chairman. Distinguished Delegates. Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) Dr. Mahmood A. Khwaja, Ph.D. SDPI, Islamabad. Pakistan www.sdpi.org ; www.sdpi.tv 0092 51 2278134 & 36 President, International Society of Doctors for Environment (ISDE) www.isde.org
