TANZANIA Bureau of Standards (TBS) Director General Dr Yusuf Ngenya ordered traders to refrain from importing, manufacturing, distributing and selling harmful cosmetics to the public.
Dr Ngenya said, according to a recent study made around the world, the ingredients used in some of the cosmetics are mostly harmful to human beings.
The call was made in Dar Salaam on Wednesday by TBS during the conference that brought together importers, distributors, retailers and manufacturers of cosmetics in the country. Dr Ngenya said: "TBS has a responsibility in protecting the society in every place in the country, so after receiving the information related to the study we need to protect our citizens from using cosmetics containing these ingredients." He also explained that there is a standard of cosmetics that prescribes certain ingredients that can be used in certain areas and also prohibits some in certain ones.
Elaborating, Dr Ngenya said TBS was still calling upon the people who are involved in the importing, marketing, distribution and production to stay with the traders for the purpose of educating, negotiating and telling them that the use of cosmetics with these ingredients should not be allowed because studies show their long-term use brings health risks.
He added, "With this conference today TBS has used that opportunity to meet with traders and told them to get rid of cosmetics containing the ingredients." The Director General equally urged the stakeholders to ensure that cosmetics containing these ingredients are removed from the market as soon as they expired.
In addition, Dr Ngenya said that the organization saw it necessary to meet with them with the aim of building mutual understanding and avoiding the potential harm in the country, due to the use of products containing such ingredients.
He said in order to fulfil the organization's responsibilities of protecting the citizens as well as other national strategies, TBS will continue to organize similar meetings for manufacturers of various products in the country and create a common awareness on their products' sales, only when they meet the requirements of the standards.
