Arklow Factory to end Toxic Soap Production
August 29th, 2002
By Graham Caswell
Killarney Enterprises, an Arklow-based factory that produces mercuric skin-lightening soap for sale to Africa, has said that they 'expect' to end production of the toxic soap by the end of the year. The statement follows the highlighting of
Killarney Enterprises's unsignposted factory in the Kilbride Business Park, Arklow |
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Killarney Enterprises' activities in a recent report prepared for the United Nations Environment Programme by Irish environmental groups.
The mercuric soap produced by Killarney Enterprises is used by Africans to lighten their skin. It is toxic and causes skin burns, birth deformaties and other serious health effects to those who use it. for these reasons it is illegal to sell the soap in the EU, but a loophole allows its manufacture here.
In its statement Killarney Enterprises said "All of our products are presently for export outside the EU and we only sell to reputable traders". However the soap, which trades under the names of Tura, Arut, Swan, Sukisa, Bango and Meriko, is illegal in its two main markets of Nigeria and Ghana. The lack of resources of these countries makes it difficult to enforce the importation restrictions.
Earth Summit Ireland report on Killarney Enterprises
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