China Bans Cosmetics from Countries Suffering from 'Mad-Cow' Disease

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, March 08, 2002

China Bans Cosmetics from Countries Suffering from 'Mad-Cow' Disease

A bulletin released jointly by the Ministry of Health and the State General Administration for Quality Supervision and Inspection and Quarantine noted that the cosmetics containing the material extracted from brains, nerve cells, inner organs, placentas and blood of cows and sheep which came from countries or regions suffering from "mad-cow" disease will be banned to import and sell.

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Cosmetics containing the material extracted from brains, nerve cells, inner organs, placentas and blood of cows and sheep which came from countries or regions suffering from "mad-cow" disease will be banned to import and sell, noted a bulletin released jointly by the Ministry of Health and the State General Administration for Quality Supervision and Inspection and Quarantine.

The bulletin indicated the above-mentioned cosmetics, which have already been brought into China, must be taken back from markets not later than April 20, 2002 by enterprises concerned. Meanwhile, the names, quantities and manufacturing enterprises or agents of the commodities are supposed to submit to provincial health administrative departments and departments directly under the State Administration for the Inspection of Import and Export Commodities. Until now, the countries having ever suffered from mad-cow disease are: Britain, Ireland, Switzerland, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Holland, Germany, Portugal, Denmark, Italy, Spain, Liechtenstein, Oman, Japan, Slovakia, Finland and Austria.

The official mad-cow home page

Mad cow disease was first detected in Britain in 1986. It is thought to cause the fatal human variant CJD.

Cosmetics buyers told not to get beauty from beasts

Health scares over mercury poisoning and mad-cow disease have prompted a warning to consumers not to use cosmetic products containing mercury or hydroquinone or ingredients derived from cattle.

The Consumer Council said although there was no evidence to link mad-cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), to cosmetics use, it was responding to a list of products recalled by the Japanese Government. Japan's first case of BSE was discovered in September, after which its Government asked cosmetics manufacturers to stop using animal-derived materials made from cows born, bred or slaughtered in countries where BSE had been confirmed.

by PD Online Staff Yang Ruoqian

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