Bangladesh is one of the very few Asian countries that regulate heavy metals and other chemical
compounds in cosmetic products with a mandatory standard. Since the implementation of the
Standard, around 10 million US Dollars’ worth of cosmetics have been seized from the Bangladeshi
market, reducing the negative impact on human health and the environment. The World Future
Council and its partner UNITAR took this development as an opportunity to shortlist Bangladesh’s
“Guideline for Cosmetic Products in Bangladesh, BDS 1382, 2019”, for the Future Policy Award 2023.
This year’s global Award, with special recognition of policies from the Global South, will be
celebrating future-proof approaches to advance toxic-free environment policies that create better
living conditions for current and future generations.
"As a society, we are confronted with a multitude of crises, namely climate change, biodiversity loss,
and pollution. To exacerbate the issue of pollution, harmful substances are incorporated into nearly
all the products we rely on in our everyday lives, including cosmetic products designed for our
youngest members. It is crucial that we approach this matter with great seriousness and, above all,
prioritize the protection of children from these harmful substances", says Alexandra Wandel, Chair of
the Management Board of the World Future Council.
The announcement of the winning policies, as well as the award ceremony will take place on the
28th of September 2023 in the context of the International Conference on Chemicals Management
(ICCM5) in Bonn, Germany. The award ceremony will be live streamed on the World Future
Council’s YouTube channel.