Sri Lanka warns of surge in illegal cosmetics

Sri Lankan health officials have warned that more than half of cosmetics used by the public are illegal and dangerous.

Authorities are worried cosmetics smuggled from overseas contain harmful ingredients, some of which are banned in their country of origin. Rising prominence of such cosmetics has led to public health officials reassessing what legislation is in place to protect consumers.

“The last time there was any amendment...with regard to cosmetics was in 1983. We are now trying to amend these regulations due to the surge of illegal cosmetics in the country,” an official at the Cosmetics Devices and Drugs Authority (CDDA) told The Nation newspaper.

New regulations are already with a legal draftsmen but the official warned "it will take time" to bring new laws into force. As it stands the maximum fine offenders face is around $390.

Stronger penalties are one option but detection must improve too. "Our concern is that most of these cosmetics are never detected," the CDDA official said. This year the agency has detected six cases of illegal cosmetics.