Minnesota Bans Mercury in Mascara, Eye Liners, Skin-Lightening Creams

St. Paul, MN (AHN) - Beginning January 1, 2008, Minnesota will implement a law banning mercury in cosmetics particularly in mascara, eye liners, and skin-lightening creams.

Sen. John Marty who sponsored the bill, said mercury, even in tiny quantities, can cause neurological damage to people, MSNBC reported. "Every source of mercury adds to it. We wanted to make sure it wasn't here," he added.

The move makes Minnesota the first U.S. state to prohibit the use of mercury in such cosmetics, imposing stiffer sanctions on the matter, than the federal government, The Associated Press said, as reported by MSNBC.

Fines as high as US$700 would be enforced against sellers who would knowingly sell cosmetics that contain mercury in Minnesota.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency warned manufacturers who fail to state in the labels that their products contain mercury would be fined US$10,000.

John Bailey, chief scientist with the Personal Care Products Council in Washington, said while most makeup manufacturers are no longer using mercury, its use as preservative and germ-killer to a number of eye products is still allowed by law.

Not more than 65 parts per million of mercury is allowed by federal law in eye products.

Bailey said the additional of mercy in such eye products are "at very low levels, and for good reason."

Carl Herbrandson, a toxicologist with the state Health Department, for his part, however said mercury "is bad, basically in all forms that get into the body."

Mercury can be found in various consumer and commercial products, said www.epa.gov. It can damage brain function at low levels, said www.cosmeticdatabase.com.