The Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers about the dangers of mercury in common household products.
Specifically, their warning targets antiseptic soaps and skin lotions that purport to get rid of wrinkles and freckles while cleaning the skin. The FDA has said that many such products contain mercury and are a public danger. Although such items are barred from being imported into the United States, they still make their way onto shelves by way of international travelers and via the mail.
Immigrants are more at risk than most, as the contaminated products typically wind up in shops geared toward that demographic.
This announcement was issued in the wake of dozens of people testing positive for mercury poisoning across seven states. This includes family members of the product users who touched the affected person or breathed in the odors from the item. Mercury poisoning can lead to kidney damage, nervous system damage, and hindered brain development in children.
The FDA does have a few tips designed to help a consumer avoid mercury. Avoid products without an ingredient lists, products that say they contain calomel or other words that start with “mercur,” and labels without ingredients listed in English.
I’m glad to see mercury poisoning awareness come to the fore of the public consciousness as a personal injury lawyer in San Bernardino . We must always be careful that the items we use conform to the safety guidelines laid out by the government, and if they don’t, then we must steer clear. It’s my hope as a personal injury attorney in Fresno that no one else gets hurt from products that contain mercury.