Rs. 1.8mn mercury test machines donated to CAA to check cosmetics safety

Colombo, March 27 (Daily Mirror) - Two Mobile Mercury Analyzers worth Rs. 1.8 million have been donated to the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) under the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to strengthen consumer safety measures and test mercury levels in cosmetic products, including skin lightening creams.

The machines were officially handed over today (27) at the Ministry of Trade in the presence of Trade Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe and CAA Director General Samantha Karunaratne, along with other officials.

The mobile analyzers will enable authorities to quickly detect mercury content in cosmetic products available in the market, with test results obtainable within 5–10 minutes without the need for additional chemicals or gases. The devices also allow direct analysis without prior sample preparation, making the process faster and more cost-effective.

According to the Sri Lanka Standards Institute (SLSI), the permissible mercury limit in cosmetic products is one milligram per kilogram. However, previous inspections conducted by the CAA have found that some products exceed this limit, posing potential health risks to consumers.

The newly donated machines are expected to be deployed across the country, allowing officials to conduct on-the-spot testing of cosmetics in different cities and markets. This initiative aims to prevent the circulation of counterfeit and substandard products containing excessive mercury.

Officials said that traders will also be able to immediately verify whether their products comply with safety standards, helping to promote a more regulated and standardized market.

Technical training has already been provided to CAA officers on the use of the equipment, and islandwide testing operations are expected to commence in the near future.