Listen to the podcast.

Mercury Gives Mascara a Black Eye

MASCARA IS DESIGNED TO GIVE WOMEN’S LASHES THICK, DARK COLOR, BUT MERCURY HAS BEEN GIVING SOME MASCARAS A BLACK EYE.  LEARN HOW ON TODAY’S ENVIRONMINUTE.

MERCURY IS LEGALLY USED IN THE U-S AS A PRESERVATIVE IN SOME MASCARAS, EYE LINERS, AND SKIN CREAMS. THE PROBLEM IS, MERCURY IS A POTENT NEUROTOXIN, AND LOW LEVELS FROM MANY SOURCES CAN ACCUMULATE IN OUR BODIES OVER TIME.

MINNESOTA RECENTLY GAVE MERCURY A ONE-TWO PUNCH BY BANNING IT FROM COSMETICS AND FINING COMPANIES FOR NOT LISTING IT ON THE LABEL.

IT’S A BIG MOVE, BUT STACY MALKAN OF THE CAMPAIGN FOR SAFE COSMETICS SAYS MORE REGULATIONS ARE NEEDED IN ORDER TO KNOCK OUT THE PROBLEM FOR GOOD.

MALKAN: MERCURY IN MASCARA, LEAD IN LIPSTICK, FORMALDEHYDE -THESE ARE ALL EXAMPLES OF TOXIC CHEMICALS FOUND IN COSMETIC PRODUCTS.

TO FIND OUT WHAT’S IN YOUR PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS, LOG ON TO COSMETICS-DATABASE-DOT-ORG.

THE ENVIRONMINUTE IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE HEINZ FAMILY PHILANTHROPIES AND THE HEINZ ENDOWMENTS.  LEARN MORE BY VISITING ENVIRONMINUTE-DOT-COM. 

Learn more from MSNBC.

Like today's EnvironMinute podcast?  Bookmark this page on del.icio.us