Urgent Call for Chemical Safety Reforms in Sri Lanka 📈

A recent report highlights systemic gaps in Sri Lanka's regulatory framework, posing significant risks to public health and the economy. Current oversight for consumer products is fragmented, leaving many daily-use items unregulated. • Critical Safety Findings: Investigations by the Consumer Affairs Authority revealed mercury levels in dozens of skin-lightening products exceeding national limits by "orders of magnitude." Similar risks are rising in the wellness and dietary supplement sector. • Regulatory Gaps: Oversight is currently split between the NMRA, SLSI, Ministry of Health, and CAA. The 2015 NMRA Act failed to fully carry forward previous safety provisions for the cosmetics industry, leaving a majority of products on the market unregistered. • Economic Impact: Unsafe products increase national healthcare spending, erode consumer trust, and create an unfair playing field for legitimate businesses adhering to high standards. • Proposed Solutions: • Establish a unified, science-based coordination body between existing agencies. • Implement toxicological risk assessments for imports and local manufacturing. • Expand national chemical testing capacity through ICT/BPM and university partnerships. • Adopt global models like Singapore’s mandatory registration or India’s restricted chemicals list. • Market Shift: With the rise of social media and online marketplaces, products often bypass traditional retail channels, requiring digital-first monitoring to protect the retail and e-commerce sectors.