Related to Policy Area

In May 2021, the X-Press Pearl cargo ship caught fire near the Colombo Harbor (about 9.5 nautical miles away from the shoreline) of Sri Lanka with container loads of hazardous chemicals on board. The spill and resulting chemical pollution are considered the worst man-made maritime disaster to have struck Sri Lanka.

Despite years of toxicity warnings, skin whitening creams remain on store shelves around the world. These cosmetics often contain mercury, a dangerous neurotoxic metal that can damage the kidneys and heart and cause permanent brain damage. Marketing of skin whitening creams has been called a legacy of colonialism, following racism and social discrimination based on skin color, and is perpetuated by racist media and popular culture, which shows light colored skin as the beauty ideal.