Sickening soap trade. (The Beat).

Irish government health agencies have begun investigations into the manufacture, export, and sale of mercury soaps, which are marketed to African consumers in a number of countries, citing purported skin- and hair-lightening properties. Some brands of mercury soap have been found to contain 1-3% mercuric iodide. Prolonged use of these soaps can lead to kidney failure, neurologic disorders, and a number of cancers, as well as fetal damage in pregnant women.

Though the sale of such soaps was banned by European Union countries over a decade ago, their manufacture remains legal. Irish manufacturer Killarney Enterprises exports the bulk of its output to Africa but also continues to sell the soaps in Ireland. Countries including South Africa, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, and Kenya have recently enacted bans against the products, which the World Health Organization states pose a "serious health hazard."